Ghana's hybrid wind-solar invention wins One-to-Watch award
Johannes Amo-Aye's Fusion Wind Turbine earned the audience award at the 2026 Africa Prize. The next challenge is turning recognition into a wider rollout.
By Ernest · 4 November 2026
A Ghanaian invention that combines wind and solar power has earned recognition at the 2026 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The Royal Academy of Engineering lists Johannes Amo-Aye, creator of MINAGIE Energy's Fusion Wind Turbine, as its One-to-Watch Award winner.
A win, but not the overall prize
The audience-selected award carries £5,000. It is separate from the £50,000 main Africa Prize, which the Academy's 2026 cohort page names Niger's Mamane Kabirou Ousseini, creator of Likita Care, as winning.
What makes the system different?
The Academy describes a vertical-axis wind turbine paired with a solar arch: two energy sources in one modular system intended for off-grid and underserved communities. Amo-Aye developed it with co-founder Elizabeth Onireti.
Its profile says around 90% of the components are designed and manufactured in Ghana. That is a description from the programme, not an independent audit of local content or electricity output.
Two installations, a bigger ambition
The Academy's profile reports two turbines deployed at two rural health centres in Ghana's Eastern Region. MINAGIE's own website identifies work at Asitey and Adeiso health centres.
The profile also gives a target of 25 turbines during 2026. That is a plan, not proof that all 25 have been installed. It identifies high upfront hardware costs as a barrier to expansion.
For Ghanaians abroad following homegrown engineering, the award is a result worth knowing. The next test is practical: how many systems get installed, what they cost and how they perform over time. This article does not independently verify savings, round-the-clock supply or clinical outcomes.
Sources
- Royal Academy of Engineering: 2026 award winners.
- Academy: Johannes Amo-Aye and Fusion Wind Turbine.
- Academy: award structure and prize amounts.
- MINAGIE Energy: company description and installation testimonials.
Sources checked 4 November 2026. All three illustrations are original Kaaklo explanatory graphics; no Academy photographs or logos reproduced.
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