Abstract

Climate change has intensified global interest in how atmospheric dynamics influence renewable energy systems. Ghana, aiming to expand renewable energy and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7, faces rising atmospheric moisture across its ecological zones. This study examines how long-term humidity trends affect solar and wind power energy generation using meteorological and satellite data combined with correlation, regression, and spatial analysis to quantify the effects of relative humidity, cloud cover, dew point, temperature, wind speed, and precipitation from 1995 to 2024. Findings show that solar irradiance and photovoltaic performance are reduced by cloudiness and humidity in the Coastal Savannah, while the drier Guinea Savannah records higher irradiance and solar potential. The results confirm an inverse relationship between atmospheric moisture and solar power generation. The study underscores the importance of incorporating climatic factors into national energy planning and technological adaptation to optimise renewable energy systems across Ghana.