Ing. Dr. Julius C. Ahiekpor

Email: 
julius.ahiekpor@kstu.edu.gh
juliusahiekpor@yahoo.co.uk
Designation: 
Director, Institute of Research, Innovation & Development
Staff Grade: 
Senior Lecturer
Department: 
Department of Chemical Engineering
Faculty: 
Faculty of Engineering and Technology
Institute or School: 
Institute of Research, Innovation and Development
Brief Bio: 

Dr. Julius Cudjoe Ahiekpor is the Director at the Institute of Research, Innovation, and Development (IRID). He is a Senior Lecturer at the Chemical Engineering Department of Kumasi Technical University. His works spans the areas of sustainable energy production, energy access, and modern energy cooking solutions. He has over 13 years of experience and knowledge in renewable energy technologies and has been involved in several projects and studies including; the identification of barriers to RE technology transfer to Ghana, advocacy for accelerated development of RE based mini-grids in island communities of Ghana, assessment of rural woodstove market, mapping of the clean cooking sector in Ghana, capacity needs assessment for renewable energy and energy efficiency in West Africa, feasibility study and implementation plan to establish 200 institutional biogas systems in Ghana, etc. He is the Bioenergy Coordinator at Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CREK).

Education: 

PhD. (Chemical Engineering),University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

MSc. (Chemical Engineering), KNUST, Ghana

BSc (Chemical Engineering), KNUST, Ghana

Professional Membership: 
Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE); National Registry of Environmental Professionals, USA (NREP)
Research Interests: 

Renewable energy technologies (Bioenergy, Biofuels, Biogas, Solar PV)
Reaction kinetics
Optimization of indigenous chemical processes
Environmental and waste management
Engineering Education
Waste to Energy
Efficient Cookstove Design.

Teaching Areas: 
  • Equipment Design
  • Plant Design and Economics
  • Process Control and Dynamics
  • Thermodynamics
  • Fluid transport
  • Reaction Kinetics.
Conferences Attended: 

  1. Ahiekpor, J.C. (2018). State of Ghana’s clean cooking sector: Opportunities for scale up. Ghana Clean Cooking Forum. AMA Conference Centre, Accra. 31 October, 2018.

  2. Ahiekpor, J.C. (2018). Ghana’s clean cooking sector: market scope, existing policies, opportunities, and barriers. GHACCO Business Innovative Summit. Tomrek Hotel, Accra, March 21, 2018.
  3. Ahiekpor, J.C., Kuye, A.O., and Achaw, OW. (2017). Design and optimization of pyrolysis unit for converting lingo-cellulosic wastes to liquid fuel. Association of African Universities Research Summit. AAU Secretariate, Accra. 1-2 June, 2017.
  4. Ahiekpor, J.C., Kuye, A.O., and Osei-Wusu, A. (2015). Liquid fuels production by pyrolysis from waste: Opportunities and challenges in Africa. 2nd International Conference on Applied Science and Technology. Kumasi. 28-30th October, 2015.
  5. Ahiekpor, J.C. (2015). Production of bio-oil from agro-forestry waste – challenges and prospects. CREK seminar series, Kumasi Polytechnic, Ghana. 24th February, 2015.
  6. Ahiekpor J.C., Bensah E.C, Antwi E, Promoting decentralised solar water purification systems in Ghana: a case study at Bongo. 3rd Ghana Water forum, Ministry of water, works and housing. Ghana. 5-7 September, 2011. Accra Ghana.
  7. Ahiekpor J.C, Bensah E. C., Antwi E. (2011). Anaerobic wastewater treatment plant for the treatment of organic waste and wastewater at Kumasi abattoir: A CDM project. Growing green through the rule of law: Capacity Building for carbon markets for Africa, ACDLP, GIMPA, Accra, Ghana, July
  8. Antwi E, Bensah E.C, Ahiekpor J.C., Ghana’s revised environmental sanitation policy 2010: a review. 3rd Ghana Water Forum, Ministry of water, works and housing. Ghana. 5-7 September, 2011. Accra Ghana.
  9. Bensah E.C, Antwi E, Ahiekpor J.C., Boadu E. Quality drinking water for rural communities. Technology options. 3rd Ghana Water Forum, Ministry of water, works and housing. Ghana. 5-7 September, 2011. Accra Ghana.
  10. Asase, M., Ahiekpor, J.C., Bensah E.C., and Antwi, E., (2010). Sustainable production and consumption. Seminar organised for KNUST students by UNEP and Otumfo’s Charity Foundation
  11. Ahiekpor, J.C. and Kuwornoo, D.K. (2009). Factors Affecting the Transesterification of Crude Palm Kernel Oil, presented at the 1st National Polytechnics Research Conference in 2009 at Dodowa, Ghana.
  12. Bensah, E.C, Ahiekpor J.C., Antwi, E., Arthur, R., and Quansah A., (2010). Improving Sanitation in Ghana: The Role of Sanitary Biogas Plants. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Applied Research Conference of Koforidua Polytechnic, Koforidua, Ghana; May, 2010.
  13. Quansah , A. D.,  Ahiekpor, J.C., Bensah E.C., Antwi, E., and. Asase, M.,   (2010). Climate Change- The Role of the Educationist. A presentation at a Climate Change awareness campaign at the St Louis College of Education Kumasi, Ghana. Organized by the Center for Energy Environment and Sustainable Development (CEESD) Ghana. http://ceesdghana.org/reports%20and%20pdf/Climate_Change_Presentation.pdf
  14. Quansah, A. D., Ahiekpor, J.C., Antwi, E., Asase, M., and Bensah E.C   (2010). Climate Change- The Role of the Professional. A presentation at a Ghana Union of Professional Students’ week at sunyani, Ghana. Ghana Union of Professional Students (GUPS).

Participations

  1. Participated in the Chemical Security and Responsible Care conference, Naivasha, Kenya, 2-3 December, 2019.

  2. Presented at the Renewable Energy and Advocacy Experience sharing conference, Nairobi, Kenya. 29 October – 5 November, 2019

  3. Participated in the Clean Cooking Forum. Nairobi, Kenya. 5 – 10 November, 2019.

Publications: 

Journal Papers

  1. Ahiekpor, J.C., Kuye, A.O., and Achaw, OW (2017). Optimization of the Pyrolysis of Hardwood Sawdust in a Fixed Bed Reactor Using Surface Response Methodology. Lignocellulose. 6(2). 98-108.
  2. Kuye, A., Ahiekpor, J.C., and Osei-Wusu, A. (2016): Fast pyrolysis of African Danta Hardwood (Nesogordonia papaverifera) and Obeche Softwood (Triplochiton scleroxylon) Sawdust. Journal of Petroleum Technology Development Fund. 6 (2). 67-76.
  3. Joshua, A. J., Ahiekpor, J.C., and Kuye, A. (2016): Nigerian hardwood (Nesogordonia papaverifera) Sawdust Characterization: Proximate Analysis, Cellulose and Lignin Contents. Lignocellulose. 5(1). 50-58
  4. Ahiekpor, J.C., Kuye, A.O., and Osei-Wusu, A. (2015). Liquid fuels production by pyrolysis from waste: Opportunities and challenges in Africa. 2nd International Conference on Applied Science and Technology. Kumasi. 28-30th October, 2015.
  5. Ahiekpor J.C., Antwi, E., Bensah, E.C., Ribeiro, X.F. (2015). Determinants of urban household cooking fuel choice in Ghana. International Journal of Current Research. 7(6). 17203-17206. http://www.journalcra.com/article/determinants-urban-household-cooking-f...
  6. Bensah, E.C., Antwi, E. Ahiekpor J.C., Ribeiro, J. (2015).A study of the effluent quality of excrement-based biogas plants in Ghana. International Journal of Scientific Engineering and Applied Science (IJSEAS). 1(6). 2395-3470. http://ijseas.com/volume1/v1i6/ijseas20150633.pdf
  7. Owusu, E.S., Ribeiro, X.F.J., Ayensu, E., Antwi, E., Ahiekpor, J.C., and Bensah, E.C. (2015). Adoption and utilization of improved cookstoves in Ghana. International Journal of Innovative Research and Development. 4(6). 305-311.
  8. Ahiekpor, J.C., Boateng, C.D., Bensah, E.C., (2012). Assessing the Higher National Diploma (HND) Chemical engineering programme in Ghana: Students’ perspective. European Journal of Engineering Education. 1-11.
  9. Bensah E. C., Ahiekpor J.C, Boateng C. (2011). Migrating from subject-based to competency-based training in Higher National Diploma Chemical Engineering: the case of Kumasi Polytechnic. Education for Chemical Engineers. 6(2011). 71-82.  doi:10.1016/j.ece.2011.04.001
  10. Ahiekpor J.C., Antwi, E., Bensah, E.C., (2011). Use of solar water distiller for treatment of fluoride-contaminated water: The case of Bongo district of Ghana. Journal of Desalination-Elsevier. 278(2011). 333-335. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2011.05.044Ahiekpor, J.C., and Kuwornoo, D.K. (2010). Kinetics of Palm Kernel Oil and Ethanol Transesterification. International Journal of Energy and Environment, 1(6), pp 1097 – 1108.
  11. Bensah, E.C., Antwi, E., and Ahiekpor J.C., (2010). Improving Sanitation in Ghana: The Role of Sanitary Biogas Plants. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp 125 – 133. DOI: 10.3923/jeasci.2010.125.133.
  12. Ahiekpor, J.C. and Kuwornoo, D.K. (2010). Optimization of Factors Affecting the Transesterification of Crude Palm Kernel Oil. International Journal of Energy and Environment, 1(4), pp 675 – 622.
  13. Antwi, E., Ahiekpor J. C., Arthur, R., Bensah, E.C., and Quansah, A.D., (2010). Ghana’s Liquid Biofuel Policy: Challenges and The Way Forward. International Journal of Energy and Environment, 1 (5), pp 805 – 814.  
  14. Ahiekpor, J.C., and Boateng, C.D. (2009). Technical reports: prepare and present them. ISBN: 978-9988-1-2765-7.

Technical Papers

1. Bensah, E.C., Ahiekpor, J.C., and Antwi, E. (2018). Ghana Clean Technology Biogas Study. Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC). Accra, Ghana
2. Ahiekpor, J.C., Bensah E.C., and Kemausuor F. (2017). Rural woodstove market study. Netherlands Enterprise Agency and Netherlands Development Organisation. Accra, Ghana
3. Ahiekpor, J.C., Bensah E.C., and Kemausuor F. (2017). Electricity needs assessment and willingness to pay for modern electricity in Island communities of Ghana: A baseline report for Ghana Strategic Partnership for Evidence Based Advocacy (V4CP). Netherlands Development Organization, Accra, Ghana.
4. Bensah E.C., Ahiekpor, J.C., Kemausuor F., and Antwi E., (2015). Identification of barriers to renewable energy technology transfer to Ghana. China-Ghana South-South Cooperation on RE Technology Transfer. UNDP, Accra, Ghana.
5. Hanekamp, E., and Ahiekpor, J.C. (2015). Feasibility study of Ghana’s institutional biogas programme. WO46. Climate Support Facility. Brussels, Belgium.
6. Ahiekpor, J.C., Ribeiro, J.X.F., Rockson, M.A.D., Bensah, E.C., and Antwi, E. (2013). Mapping of stakeholders in the clean cookstove value chain in Ghana. UNDP. Accra, Ghana.
7. Ahiekpor, J.C. (2013). Overview of solar projects in Ghana. SNV, Accra, Ghana.
8. Antwi, E., Ahiekpor, J.C., Bensah, E.C., Lamp, J. (2012). Design, construction, and operation of 40 cubic meter fixed dome biogas plant. Netherlands Development Organisation. Accra, Ghana.