The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Energy

  • ‘Nigeria has large market for renewable energy’

    Nigeria offers a large market for renewable energy and has greater opportunity than most of other African countries for investment in the renewable energy sector because of its population, the Country Director, Power for All Nigerians, Ify Malo, has said.

    Malo urged investors to take advantage of the huge renewable energy sources and market in Nigeria by investing in the sector. She noted that Power for All Nigerians is a globally decentralised renewable energy advocacy and campaign organisation, adding that the group came to Nigeria to drive the awareness and behavioural changes around renewable energy and to encourage more investments in the sector.

    She noted that renewable energy would help entrepreneurs and business owners who are actually to move their businesses to market and also allow new people who want to come into the sector to understand how they can do so.

    According to her, Nigeria being the largest country in the African continent represents a greater number of people that do not have access to electricity, adding that about 60 per cent of the Nigerian population representing over 95 million people does not have access to electricity supply.

    She told The Nation in Lagos that Power for all Nigerians was committed to increasing renewable energy access in the country through the centralised renewable wind and mini-hydro. “We want to see everybody including the least community completely electrified, they don’t have to wait for the grid to get to them,” she stated, adding that 2025 has been set aside as target period to achieve power for every single Nigerian.

    “Our goal is to see that everybody has electricity by the year 2025, and we believe that can be achieved with renewable energy,” she added.

    Malo said a number of programmes had already been initiated to drive the project including capacity building and training programmes. It would be working with the women for awareness building, and supporting industry stakeholders and entrepreneurs, adding that the group is also supporting end-users and creating a platform where people can actually learn more about renewable energy technology.

    Grassroots advocacy campaign, she said, had been scheduled between 2017 and 2019, and the group would be working with the youths, students on campuses as well as the rural women.

    Malo confirmed that renewable energy had been working in the country but noted that in the past contracts were given to people who were not certified in renewable energy installation or energy business , and months after those installations, the projects park up and it was mainly prevalent for solar street light system.

    “Renewable energy could be a way to having 24 hours sustainable electricity and that is why we are seeing more people getting into renewable energy business.

  • Avoidable energy crisis

    •With adequate planning and more seriousness, there should be no shortage of kerosene and gas  

    An acute shortage of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), otherwise known as cooking gas, that hit the country about a month ago, has further compounded Nigerians’ hardship. This has invariably led to the prices of both products skyrocketing. For instance, the four-litre gallon of kerosene, which sold for N1,200 about three weeks ago, now sells for N1,600;  while a 12.5kg cylinder of gas is now sold for between N4,000 and N5,000, from the previous N3,200.

    We do not understand why the Federal Government allowed this to occur in the first place; to allow it linger is beyond comprehension. Kerosene is the common man’s energy, in which case it should be affordable and available. As for cooking gas, its scarcity should be an abomination in a country trying to discourage the use of dirty fuel and protecting the environment.

    The incessant scarcity of these products is an indication that the government is yet to overcome the challenges bedevilling their supply. Kerosene is scarce because our refineries are not producing at optimal level. Even the importation that the government resorted to has not guaranteed steady supply. Before the present scarcity, both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and major oil marketers had been importing kerosene.

    However, for some time, the marketers have not been able to get forex and therefore have to patronise the black market with its outrageous exchange rates. Only a few weeks ago, the marketers complained that the Federal Government was owing them about $1billion, mainly bank loans.

    Of course the inability of the marketers to import as they used to will naturally tell on supply. All we need to prove the supply shortfall is the statistics from NNPC’s monthly financial and operations report for last November, which revealed that in September 2016 (the last time it imported the product) it brought in 33,662,899.42 litres while total production from the three refineries was a paltry 42,313,316 litres as against 84,153,826 litres in October. In line with the natural law of demand and supply, prices will jump in a situation where demand exceeds supply.

    The problem with gas appears hydra-headed. One is inadequate infrastructure. Mr. Basil Ogbuanu, President of the Nigerian Association of LPG Marketers (NALPGAM), gave a distressing example. He said for about a week, a vessel laden with aviation fuel occupied the jetty waiting to discharge even as other petroleum products cargoes queued up, unsure of when they would be allowed to discharge their products. Meanwhile, there was also an LPG vessel (a product that is sorely needed) that had been at the anchor point for weeks, incurring demurrage.

    It is becoming obvious that we need more than the two terminals that can take LPG in Lagos. The government should build terminals in Port Harcourt and Calabar, for instance.

    Just as with kerosene, forex remains a serious challenge in the gas supply chain. This is because the product is priced locally at international rates. The problem is exacerbated by the weak exchange rate of the naira that has further increased the price of LPG. We also have to factor in the cost of diesel to power the generators when the gas gets to the plants. A litre of diesel now sells for N250. “All these costs eventually lead to increase in retail price of gas. Even if the vessels are allowed to discharge now, the cost of 12.5kg from a reasonable wholesale plant cannot be less than N4,000.’’ Ogbuanu lamented.

    The government must address these challenges as well as the security concerns that led to the abandonment of the NOJ and POP terminals. It should also be ready to “invest in transportation of LPG from those terminals into the country either by rail or by trucks. We have to get all of that done. We have to make sure that we have enough distribution centres across the country,’’ as suggested by the NLNG.

    And, as the National Chairman, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers (LPGAR) branch of NUPENG, Mr. Chika Michael Umudu said, the government may have to revitalise the 2007 Obasanjo LP Gas policy that helped to generate some improvements in the sector.

  • Why we launched N1b MSMEs’ solar energy fund, by BoI

    Why we launched N1b MSMEs’ solar energy fund, by BoI

    The Bank of Industry (BoI)  launched the N1billion solar energy fund for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) because of the power challenge in the sector, its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, has said.

    Speaking at the launch in Lagos, Olagunju said solar energy had become alternative for the MSME operators in view of the poor supply in the country.

    The cost of electricity accounts for about 40 per cent of operational expenses for most MSMEs, resulting in reduced profit margins and unsustainable ventures.

    Olagunju said: “Many Nigerians and Nigerian businesses that can afford other alternative energy sources have resorted to the use of electric generators at exorbitant costs. It was estimated that in 2015, manufacturers spent as much as N3.5trillion to generate alternative power due to the challenges in the supply of public electricity.

    “MSMEs play a major role as the engine through which most countries in the world thrive. Their growth and development are crucial to the level of industrialisation, modernisation, income per capita, equitable distribution of income, welfare and quality of life enjoyed by the citizenry.

    “Consequently, the performance of the MSME sub-sector is closely associated with the development of a nation. In Nigeria, the growth of this sector has been hampered over the years by a combination of factors, one of which is access to reliable electricity.

    “For Nigeria to, therefore, achieve sustainable and inclusive development, there is an urgent need to substantially increase the supply of modern and affordable energy services from sources that are affordable, accessible and environmentally friendly,” he added.

    Olagunju said renewable energy provides healthy and sustainable alternative to the continuous use of fossil fuels, with long-term cost saving advantages, especially in the absence of reliable power supply which is an essential ingredient for growth.

    “It is, therefore, important to support the provision of sustainable and reliable energy for MSMEs, which is why the Bank of Industry has decided to provide the solar energy fund to MSMEs.

    “The bank is already playing an active role in lighting up and powering Nigeria through the provision of solar energy solutions for rural communities, having successfully deployed solar solutions worth N240million to six off-grid communities, one each in Niger, Osun, Gombe, Anambra, Edo and Kaduna states, under its pilot scheme. These communities with an average of 200 homes each previously had no access to electricity, but since the provision of clean, reliable and sustainable solar electricity, the lives of the indigenes of these communities have changed significantly.”

    The bank’s General Manager, Large Enterprises, Mr. Joseph Babatunde, who gave a breakdown of how the Fund would be deployed, told The Nation that the projects would be implemented by select development partners to support agriculture, solid minerals, cottage industries, artisans, and service industry, and clusters to improve their operations.

    According to him, what will be due each applicant is N50 million,  adding that the allocation is scalable depending on the project.

    He noted that the initiative would not only boost employment generation, but it would also improve the standard of living of the beneficiaries, revamp the economy, and enhance poverty alleviation.

    Some of BoI’s development partners are Arnegy Solar Limited, GVE Projects Limited, GreenPower Overseas Limited, The Solar Shop Limited, Wayo Tropical Technical Limited, Blue Carmel Energy Limited, Novel Integrated Services Limited  and Solar Force Nigeria Limited.

    They will implement the projects from design to execution.

  • Ozokwelu: Expertise intervention critical to solving Nigeria’s energy crisis

    Ozokwelu: Expertise intervention critical to solving Nigeria’s energy crisis

    Professor Dickson Enuma Ozokwelu, a world renowned expert in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is a fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineers, AIChE and Nigerian Society for Chemical Engineers, NSChE.
    A licensed professional engineer in the State of Tennessee, USA, he has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA degree with concentration in Planning and Management.

    His professional experience includes over 15 years in the US government working as Lead Technology Manager in the US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and significant leadership roles in reshaping US national energy policies. Prior to US DOE, Dr. Ozokwelu held senior engineering positions in BP North America and Eastman Kodak Chemicals Company.

    In this interview with journalists recently, he posits that fixing Nigeria’s intractable energy crisis is a possibility, saying such could be made possible through Diaspora expertise intervention.

    Excerpts:

    What is the secret behind constant power supply in the United States?
    The generation, transmission and distribution functions are managed very well by the right professionals and according to all the given guidelines and regulations.

    Is this scenario possible in Nigeria?

    Yes, if we create enabling environment to make the newly privatized power entities in Nigeria to work more efficiently and play by the rules. This should be the job of a focused National Electricity RegulationCommission managed by competent energy related technocrats and professionals.

    There have been arguments by labor that the sector shouldn’t have been privatized. Do you think the sector could have been better handled by the government?

    No. The sector is better handled by the private sector any day which by nature is always more efficient than the bureaucratic public sector. The problem with Nigerian privatizations is corruption where senior government officials in power bought the assets being privatized and created inefficient monopolies.

    Billions of dollars have been spent to stabilize the energy sector, but it seems things are NOT going the way they should go. What is your opinion about this?

    Corruption

    Are there political solutions to this?

    Yes. The major political solution here is to appoint leaders in the power sector, particularly the NERC chairman and Power minister that have the kind of profiles discussed a priori in this interview. Not doing so will perpetuate the status quo in the power sector and eventual collapse of the sector.

    Can investment in electrical power infrastructure development help Nigeria recover from recession?

    The electricity industry contributes to economic growth in two ways. First, electricity is an important sector of the economy that creates jobs and value by generating, transmitting and distributing electricity throughout the economy. The electricity industry directly affects the economy by using labor and capital to produce electricity. This role is particularly important when economic growth and job creation are such high priorities around the world.

    Second, electricity underpins the rest of the economy as an input for nearly all goods and services. As a result, tariff increases and supply interruptions can shake whole economies. For countries like Nigeria that face chronic electricity shortages, continuing disruptions take a heavy toll on the whole economy.

    As an example, in 2012, the Conference Board of Canada reported that an investment in electricity infrastructure in Canada from 2011 to 2030 with total estimated cost of $347.5 billion, will add an average of $10.9 billion per year to real GDP and create an average of 156,000 jobs per year. Stated in another way, for every $100 million (inflation adjusted) invested in electricity generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructure, real GDP will be boosted by $85.6 million and 1,200 jobs will be created.

    Also, according to US Energy and Employment report on Construction and Installation in 2015, of the 6.8 million construction jobs in the nation, roughly three in ten workers (27%) support the energy industry through Generation and Fuels, Transmission, Wholesale Trade and Distribution, Storage, and Energy Efficiency technology construction. Of these, 1.8 million workers, over two‐thirds (68%) are employed by Energy Efficiency firms.

    Lastly, University of California Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education reported recently that small-scale solar can be more equitably distributed than it has been to date and create better jobs than large or utility scale solar (greater than 20 MW)

    According to international Energy Agency and CNN news of April 1, 2016, 600 million people or better said 70 per cent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa currently lack access to electricity. Half of all businesses say that the lack of reliable electricity is a major constraint. Power outages cost African countries an estimated 1-2 per cent of their GDP annually.

    Based on the aforementioned discussions, there is no other better place for Nigeria to invest for recovery from recession than electrical power, particularly small sale distributed wind, solar and micro-hydro power systems.

    What is needed is a technology that circumvents transmission since 60+% of African population including Nigeria are off grid. Such approach is labor intensive and will therefore create lots of jobs leading to poverty alleviation during implementation. Right after the early part of its implementation, these power systems will begin to usher in energy use related jobs particularly in the rural areas andhence help to pull Nigeria out of recession.

    One critical step in the process is implementation. Let the dreamer implement the process. Very often once we get some idea and it sounds simple we think we can do it only to bastardize the whole process, resulting in dismal failure. What is described here is best done by the dreamer if best results are expected. Let the dreamer implement the entire process.

    One of the major promises of the present administration in Nigeria is to ensure stable electricity across the country. But that has not been so. What do you think is the problem? Can you proffer solution to this seemingly intractable problem?

    The problem with sustainable generation and distribution of electricity in Nigeria is ridden with many problems. I will attempt to discuss them under the following subheadings:

    The absence of well constituted Regulatory Commission:

    Since this administration came into office about one and half years ago, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC has been run by a single person who is also the Acting Chairman. There are supposed to be seven members of the commission, consisting of one member from each of the six geopolitical zones and a chairman. To drive the point home, this is like a soccer match going on without a referee. Any of the players can even score goal against his side because there is no competent referee to enforce the rules, hence so many mistakes are being made in the power sector. Yet the power sector is the most strategic sector for development of the country!

    The absence of well trained, qualified, and experienced personnel in leadership positions in the power sector.

    Because of the technical nature of this sector, we need technocrats with competency in the sector to provide leadership in the sector. Being a professor or having a PhD does not guarantee competency. We have seen that some academically brilliant fellows sometimes have problem applying their knowledge. So being a professor or having a PhD is great but we need those who in addition have relevant experience as well. It is shameful that we have excellent technocrats of Nigerian origin scattered all over the world whom we congratulate when they are employed by different reputable agencies around the world instead of getting them home particularly when we need their skills to solve our national problems. The Nigerian power sector needs emergency attention and we need well experienced Nigerians in Diaspora to come home and assist us to fix the sector. We need people with not only technical qualification and experience but also policy experience in the energy sector of advanced countries like USA, people who have experience working with people from diverse background, good people skills and enough international contacts to attract international technical and financial assistance as needed. The nominee for the Chairman of NERC particularly should have the profile presented above plus passion for helping his country Nigeria.

    The answer for this subheading will not be complete without mentioning the Indian experience. In an address by Mr. Yashwant Sinha, once Minister for External Affairs of India he said and I quote, ‘’Distinguished Members of Parliament from India and abroad, and Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my most pleasant duty to welcome all of you here for the ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas’. January 9 is a very special day. It was on this day that Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa. The choice of this date for the celebration of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is, therefore, most appropriate. Just as the Mahatma changed the course of Indian history after his return, I am certain, overseas Indians will play a major role in building a glorious future for India and for the world. An eminent predecessor of mine had outlined India’s vision towards overseas Indians.

    He declared at a seminar in New Delhi, and I quote: “The subject of overseas Indians is one which is very dear to our hearts. Everyone of Indian origin, overseas, is a representative of India and retains many aspects of our cultural traditions and civilization. Though our sons and daughters have gone abroad to work or to reside there, India will never disown them or fail to appreciate and respect their essential loyalty to the culture and heritage of the mother country.”

    These words were spoken 25 years ago by none else than our respected Prime Minister. We have amidst us today entrepreneurs, scientists, economists, scholars, writers, social workers, public figures and national leaders. The Indian diaspora has made a distinctive impact on every one of the countries in which they live by virtue of their loyalty, dedication, hard work and success. Each one of you who has maintained and at the same time is maintaining your commitment to Bharatiyata or Indianness has done India proud. Every one of you here is an achiever in your own right and as you succeed, India succeeds with you. The love and affection with which the Indian diaspora regards India, its people, its culture, and its concerns, is something which strikes everyone who comes into contact with members of the diaspora.” Unquote.

    Indian technocrats were paid the same emolument as British and America experts and they went home in droves to develop India. Today India leads the world in several economic sectors, including health, electronics, auto manufacture, energy, agriculture and you name it! Nigeria should emulate India!

    The current Sector structure is faulty

    Current structure has three separate entities namely generation (Gencos), transmission, and distribution (Discos). This created a problem where Gencos sell to the Discos through a bulk trader who does not promptly pay the Gencos. This inability of the Gencos to control their revenue is the major reason why it is difficult for the Gencos to get loan to maintain or expand their operations.

    Furthermore, some users of electricity, including government offices have not been paying the Discos and the Discos are citing it as reason for not paying the Gencos through the bulk trader. This needs to be resolved ASAP because it is not sustainable. This makes the government to be part of the problem and not the solution. It makes the argument that privatization is the problem a weak one.

    Transmission lines are not many and they are old and dilapidated to the extent that most of the parts are no longer being manufactured. Some of the power plants recently built do not have pipelines to supply gas to them nor do they have transmission lines connecting them to the grid.

    As a matter of fact, we do not have adequate transmission lines to evacuate power from some of the generating plants, making the transmission lines the critical factor to deal with if we are going to have sustainable power. Typically, in Africa, including Nigeria, about 60% of the population who are in the rural areas are off the grid. Yet any meaningful development should be in the rural area where the productive industries like agricultural processing, farming and manufacturing are or should be.

    Absence of Energy Efficiency in the Energy Policy

    Nigeria can save up to 50% of the power that is currently being generated if it introduces a workable energy efficiency policy. This will enable the operators to extend electricity supply to about additional 50% of current clients with the current level of generation, subject to availability of the grid to these clients. This policy if well implemented will also reduce tariff which is so high now and therefore help with curbing inflation and part of the solution to economic recession.

    So in conclusion, what is required is careful planning and participation of experienced Nigerians from any part of this earth who already have the experience and expertise in the different strategic parts of our economy.

    Electricity generation and distribution is the most strategic sector for the economic development of any country, Nigeria included. Everybody knows it. Yet for the past decade we have been leaving this most important sector in the hands of mediocre to manage. How can we be doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

    We should bring home our experts especially those who are capable and willing to come home and help solve our problems in this and other technical sectors. For example, in order to significantly improve state of electricity generation and distribution in Nigeria, a competent NERC Chairman should be able to lead a thorough assessment of the status quo in the sector and work with his team or energy council to develop a good plan to fix the sector.

    Next he will tap from his wealth of experience and international contacts to organize resources for regulation, generation, transmission, and distribution. Resources should be organized along the lines of financial resources, physical resources to include transmission lines, gas pipelines et cetera and human resources to include individuals with expertise, training, qualification and relevant experience in the subject matter space.

    Of course the nominee for the NERC chairman must have good people skills to work well with the Power Minister and other members of the NERC commission and Energy Council to implement the plan for the sector. If necessary, a state of emergency could be declared in the power sector to circumvent bureaucracy and expedite implementation. Lastly, based on the definition of management, he should set up measurements of the sectors accomplishments after implementation to know whether his goals are being met and if not to tweak his plans again to drive towards his measurable goals.

     

     

  • ‘Don cautions against current energy trend’

    A don, Dr Olugbenga Adebanjo Falode, has warned that the current energy trends will threaten   the well-being of human race.

    Falode, who is a lecturer at the University of Ibadan (UI), stated this while delivering the third Faculty of Technology lecture entitled “Plenty of Room: Unlocking the Energy Window for Sustainable Development In the 21st Century”,  noted that a globally-acceptable pathway to a safe and sustainable energy future had not been discovered.

    He lamented that previous governments had abandoned technology, saying that no country can develop without it.

    “Governments had relegated technology to the background. Even in the university environment, there is no room for research, there is no infrastructure,” the don said

    He said there was the need for policy redirection to ensure that education is well funded at all levels.

    “Although governments may be chiefly concerned with economic growth, environmental protection or energy security, it is clear that a continuation of current energy trends will have undesirable consequences and global threat to the well-being of the human race,” he said.

    The expert in petroleum engineering said the development of energy resources must focus on all dimensions of the energy dilemma.

    According to him, policy makers and the energy sector could also learn about the benchmark by putting in place policy framework to support the ongoing change agenda of the Federal Government.

    He urged government to develop a framework to engage and fund international technology cooperation for solutions that would simultaneously address energy poverty, energy insecurity and local and global environmental concerns.

    He called for the implementation of market measures to enable sustainable solution for clean energy access, energy efficiency and sustainable urban designs, such as building efficiency standards, urban air quality standards and  planning for sustainable urban mobility with emphasis on non-motorised and public transport.

    Falode also called for the recognition and strengthening of the role of indigenous women in energy management.

    He argued that women were not only end users of energy but also managers at the local level, playing role in the conservation of extension of natural resources and in managing the renewable energy systems, such as solar and bio-mass.

    “Women need cleaner cooking energy, but there is also a need for strengthening their capabilities in tree and water management, as well as inclusion in local, national and internal bodies set up to manage energy infrastructure,” he said.

  • Fed Govt to raise N20b for renewable energy projects in Q1

    The Federal Government is planning to raise N20 billion ($63 million) by March to help fund renewable energy projects, the first issuance of green bonds in the country.

    “We are on track to sell the bond in the first quarter, a sovereign, and could have another by the end of the year,” Environment Minister Amina Mohammed said told Bloomberg.

    The sale will also help fund an electric-vehicle commuter project in the city and plug infrastructure deficit, according to information from the Budget and National Planning Ministry.

    The government increased its 2016 budget by 20 per cent, allocating one-third to projects including roads, rail, ports and bridges, to stimulate an economy battered by a drop in oil production and that’s projected by the International Monetary Fund to contract by 1.7 per cent this year.

    “The exchequer can’t get all the money we need,” Mohammed said. “That’s why we must leverage these innovative ways to get funds from the international community.”

    Mohammed said her ministry is targeting off-grid solar-power projects producing as much as 1,200 megawatts in the country’s north. Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity is about 6,000 megawatts, according to the power ministry. South Africa, whose population is a third of Nigeria’s, has a capacity of more than 40,000 megawatts.

    Proceeds from the green bonds will also support environment-friendly projects in the oil-producing Niger River delta, where the government aims to eliminate gas flaring by 2019, Mohammed said.

    There are also plans to continue the cleanup of the Ogoniland oil spills, she said. Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Shell’s Nigerian Unit, SPDC, Exxon Mobil Corp., and Eni SpA’s Agip Oil Co. have paid $1 billion, of which $200 million will be disbursed annually, to help with cleaning up oil spills as old as 50 years in the Ogoni district in the southern Niger River delta.

  • Six-week energy audit training for dons at UNILAG

    No fewer than 25 graduates and professionals of Electrical Engineering are undergoing training on energy audit and management at the University of Lagos, Akoka.

    The progamme tagged “Training of Trainers” is funded by the European Union (EU), the German government and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

    For six weeks, the professionals would be trained on the analysis of energy flows and energy conservation in a building, process or system in order to reduce wastage such that they would be able to apply their knowledge in the field and the classroom.

    Project Director, Mr Felix Nitz, said the participants who are professionals but have background in teaching were selected after they applied for the programme about three years ago.

    “This training is not an ordinary technical training but a training that will empower people, institutions who are determined to deliver training on their own. Our intention is to empower certain institutions in the country to deliver courses related to energy. All are graduates, who are also professionals and have not only graduated but have years of experience and also have a background in teaching,” said Nitz.

    He added that the Nigerian education system needs to address the    gap between what the institutions teach and what industry needs. He said the gap shows in graduates who can teach but cannot apply it on the field.

    Nittz said: “The teachers in Nigeria have a tendency to be theoretical and what the industry wants are those who have the knowledge and are ready to apply it. This is different from teaching, different from research.  University education in Nigeria prepares people to become teachers and researchers but there are no people on ground who can apply that knowledge. There is a deficit in practical skills; and we have trainings that will empower them to be able to apply this knowledge.”

    The Director, National Centre for Energy Efficiency and Conservation (NCEEC), Prof Abiola Kehinde, whose centre is hosting the training, said Nigeria needs to key into energy auditing to reduce wastage as well as conserve energy.

    “We should key into this laudable initiative in this recession period so that we are able to judiciously account for our enegy usage as well as reduce wastage,” Kehinde said.

    One of the participants, a graduate of Electrical Engineering who lectures at Covenant University, Ota, Miss Olayinka Ayo, said: “One thing we are lacking in Nigeria is that there is so much energy wastage. We have a shortage of electricity in Nigeria but this knowledge can help us manage what we have if we can carry out audit of our systems and manage what we have.  We have more than 50 per cent people living in the rural areas that do not have access to electricity.”

  • Experts: inadequate funding inhibiting reneweable energy

    Inadequate funding, poor maintenance, prohibitive cost of installation and training are  affecting renewable energy programmes in Nigeria, experts have said.

    Head of Energy and Environmental Desk, German Industry and Commerce, Mrs. Barbel Freyer and other experts, spoke at a seminar tagged: “Startups in renewable energy”, organised by the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

    She said because of paucity of funds, operators could not access renewable energy materials, adding that banks too were not ready to fund those who want to generate solar, wind, biomass and other renewable energy.

    Mrs Freyer urged banks to provide funds for the development of renewable energy system in Nigeria. She said there was a huge market in the country, stressing that the sector’s contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would increase soon.

    The Council for Renewable Energy (CREN), Projects Implementation Committee’s Chairman Idowu Andrew said consumers were not giving renewable energy enough attention, due to the high cost of maintaining  accessories.

    “Some consumers don’t care about maintenance, they don’t care to call on the technicians to carry out periodical or monthly clean-up on their renewable energy devices,” he added.

    According to him, if routine checks and clean-up are not carried out on the devices, the radiation level will reduce and this will lead to defects in the main device.

    Idowu said the body conducted a research on renewable energy eight years ago, adding that findings showed that many individiuals cannot afford the cost of owning a renewable energy plant.

    “Now, why should I invest about N 7 million in a renewable project, when 20 or 30 people can come together to invest the same amount of money on the project?

    ‘’Failure to make renewable energy private sector-driven, means that many people will find it difficult to invest in it. So, private investors should be allowed to invest more in renewable energy,‘’ he added.

  • As UI becomes private energy producer

    Two exciting historical milestones unfurled recently at the nation’s premier university -University of Ibadan (UI), which deserve and require the attention of all stakeholders in higher education in this country and beyond so as to support the momentum of development.

    First, UI which is the first as well as the flagship of post-graduate studies in the county was ranked as the 600th best university in the world by a global higher education ranking organization called The Times Higher Education (THE). Given the fact that UI is the first and only Nigerian university in the first 1,000 best universities globally, the good news is not only cheerily received, but heartily propitious.

    The ranking organization had considered Ibadan’s level of teaching, research, citation of scholarly publications, industry income and international outlook among other parameters.

    This 2016/2017 Times Higher Education ranking has finally put to rest the erroneous notion in certain quarters that “no Nigerian university is good enough to be among the best 1,000 universities in the world”. Ibadan has finally broken the jinx. UI has breasted the tape by joining the elite club of global players in tertiary education. UI is certainly astir.  The first and the best university in the most populous black nation in the world is clearly cresting the storm, having been producing world -class graduates, who are making waves all over  the world in the last 65 years. UI will be 68 years old this month – November. Indeed, this latest global recognition calls for celebration for it takes standard to stand out.

    It is indisputable that UI which parades the highest number of professors in this country has all it takes to be among the best 100 universities in the world, but for some national albatrosses including poor infrastructures and what some people call “Nigerian factors”. But with continuous self-reinvention, hard work, dedication and the desire not only to remain a local champion, but a global player with application of best practices, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

    However, still gloating over this positive rating, I think the current Vice Chancellor, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka deserves commendation for dexterously consolidating on the achievements of his predecessors. Being a scientific scholar with a solid background in Geology, Prof. Olayinka has cleverly deployed resources towards the information and communication technologies, thus, favourably projecting UI for global glare. This is certainly one of his major achievements so far. He must therefore maintain it.  Efforts should be geared towards networking with thousands of passionate alumni such as a former Lagos State chapter chairman of UI Alumni Association, Sola Oyetayo who is ready to go extra mile for the betterment of UI.

    The second interesting historical milepost unfolding in the university is as trailblazing as it is revolutionary: UI is becoming the first university in private electricity production in Nigeria. The university recently performed the ground-breaking ceremony, which attracted dignitaries from far and near, preparatory to 10 megawatts solar plant. In other words, UI can now be classified as an Independent Power Producer, (IPP) thereby, singularly generating 50-60 percent of her daily electricity power requirement when the project becomes fully functional. According to the chairman, UI Power Improvement Programme, Prof. Adeboye Olatunbosun, the project will become operational before the end of this year.

    This plant, when completed has numerous and multiplier effect of electricity availability, not only for UI but also for neighbouring communities and Ibadan as a whole. It will be business for UI as it will be selling electricity to Ibadan Electricity Board. The cost of running generators will reduce. The project will enrich the quality of research, development and capacity-building programmes in renewable energy and energy efficiency. More importantly, students’ unrest over power outage and unavailability will be a thing of the past; consequently, there will be peace on campus.

    But before UI begins to reap the juicy fruits of this plant, there is still some distance to destination. Prof. Olatunbosun explained that though, the German-supported Project “promises bounteous dividends, UI still has to obtain license from Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) as a private power producer. Besides, federal government still needs to make money available for the final stage of the solar plant”. However, with the recent launching of Energizing Education Programme Initiative (EEPI) of the federal government, which is a collaborative effort of Education and Power, Works and Housing Ministries to ensure self- sufficiency in power supply to all 40 federal universities in the county, it is almost certain that this  UI pioneering effort will succeed.

    Electricity is a vital component in the production of world-class graduates. Indeed, without electric power, teaching, learning and research will simply amount to a charade, resulting in the output of poor-quality certificate holders.

    In view of the prospects of this project and its anticipated succour, intending beneficiaries must be grateful to the German government for the support it is providing. The original idea of this 10 MW solar plant was conceived at an interactive session between the immediate UI past VC, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole who is now health minister and the then German Ambassador to Nigeria, Frau Janetzke Dorothy Wenzel. Prof. Adewole in his characteristic candour had told the former ambassador that electricity was a major problem confronting the university.

    The then VC consequently solicited the technical support of German government.

    Close to three years, negotiations involving UI, federal government of Nigeria and the German government were sustained before eventually culminating into the recent take off of the project. Prof. Adewole deserves credit for his superlative human relations skills with which he was able to convince the former German Ambassador, while similar commendations should be accorded Prof. Olayinka for sustaining the dream.

    The German government has been so benevolent to UI over the years. According to Prof. Olayinka, “we thank the German government for supporting our Bachelor of Arts in German programme in our Department of European Studies. A lecturer of German is always on our staff fully funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (GAES). German government also supported the establishment of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CEPACS) in UI. You gave generous funding support to many postgraduate students from Nigeria and other countries to come to Ibadan to pursue their Master degree in Humanitarian and Refugee Studies. At the last count, no fewer than 48 members of our academic staff, including my humble self, have benefitted from the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research fellowship. We look forward to your continued support and assistance”, the VC told the gathering including the current German Ambassador, Bernard Schlaheck.

    Power supply to the university community is from both the national grid (through the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company IBEDC 132/33kV feeders) and from the University owned generators. The university has 49 backup generators which range from 27KVA-2000 KVA.  A substantial proportion of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is committed to settling electricity bills and the purchase of diesel for generators. But with the coming of this planned 10MW solar plant, the narrative will certainly be altered.

     

    • Saanu is of the Directorate of Public Communication, University of Ibadan.

  • Polish energy drink coming

    A firm, Mutalo Group, a Polish energy drinks manufacturer, is set to launch the Kabisa Energy Drink in Nigeria.

    Its Chief Executive Officer, Tomasz Nowowiejski, the founder of Jumia Africa, said Kabisa differs from its competitors as it is produced with high quality ingredients.

    Kabisa is a tropical, Africa-oriented energy drink that has become popular in other African countries such as Angola, Burkina Faso, Namibia, Kenya, Seychelles and Uganda, he said.

    Nowowiejski said in a statement: “African beverage markets have a tendency to be bi-polarised – there are cheap, low quality drinks and, on the other hand, high quality ones, which are heavily overpriced.

    “There was hardly anything in between before KABISA appeared on the display shelves; to put it simply, KABISA has filled the gap in the energy drink sector.

    “As a result, the customers who are looking for something of good quality don’t have to spend twice as much because expensive, premium products are no longer the only ones that are offered.”

    According to him, Mutalo Group understands that Africa is different and has different needs.

    “African design, tropical taste, branded fridges – it seems like nothing special, but altogether it creates something unique yet familiar. This is exactly what makes people want to buy Kabisa Energy Drink, not commercials with sportsmen jumping from the roofs and monster trucks, which are not commonplace or embedded in the local culture.

    “All things considered, we are witnessing the expansion of the African market and KABISA Energy Drink is a perfect example. It shows that there is a place and a growing demand for good quality products. Who knows, maybe it’s the beginning of another beverage giant?,” he added