New Nigerian Newspapers Online Edition

NIGERIA’s quest for scientific and technological development certainly knows no bounds, and is age-old. It cannot but take on the aggressive note as it is now actively engaged in on so many scores for, as they say, time waits for nobody. And just as events in other parts of the world have shown in recent time, development of any sort cannot wait for any nation which does not add to the political will by exploring and exploiting all resources available to it to seek the appropriate knowledge with a view to getting to the promised land of the developed. Herein lies the relevance of renewable energy which has the capability to launch Nigeria into greatness if, and only if, properly harnessed. And promptly too.
At this point of globalization, the unfolding new millennium and the objective of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua administration to make the country one of the first 20 best world economies by 2020, it goes without saying that all efforts must be made at utilizing the potentials of the country in all ramifications. The renewable energy sector which had for the last couple of years witnessed the execution of pilot (demonstration) projects involving several systems which have direct bearing on the life of the Nigerian citizenry, offers great hope. This brings to mind the activities of the Sokoto Energy Research Centre of the Usmanu Danfodio University which has had over two decades of rigorous and consistent research and products execution in renewable energy. It is now poised to do more and take Nigeria’s case to greater heights by covering all the states of the federation.
According to the statute which established Sokoto Energy Research Centre, it was to be “a centre for solar and other renewable energy research, development and training.’’ It had the status of faculty of the university. The objects are to organize and carry out research in the most economical and effective means available locally for harnessing solar and other renewable energy as complementary and or alternative source of power. To investigate the appropriate designs for solar and other renewable energy equipment and appliances for domestic, agricultural and industrial uses, and to develop, produce and test prototypes of same. It was also to serve as centre for the development of manpower and training in such technology, as well as to investigate the use of solar-powered equipment in combination with other energy sources. The centre also had mandate to investigate the efficiencies of related systems with a view to developing more efficient ones. Since its take-off therefore, much attention had been paid to studies and consequent development of various renewable energy systems with the highlights being solar energy and solar thermal systems. As it were, cooking is one of the major applications for which solar energy is a proven alternative to the conventional fuel-wood. The centre has since come a long way.
Itoperates under the energy commission of Nigeria (ECN) which, according to experts, has already developed a master plan for energy in Nigeria with the draft well in place. According to the energetic director of the SERC, Professor Abdullahi Zuru who had an interactive session with journalists in Sokoto recently, the draft is yet to be taken to the National Assembly for appropriate action. He however emphasized that the legislature should expedite action, when it is finally submitted to it, to ensure that the master plan is passed into law for immediate action and realization of the immense benefits tied to it. Once this is done, the several hindrances to power generation sufficient and regular supply would be removed and other related activities enhanced. Stakeholders had in recent time spoken on necessary policy and the legal environment, just as governments have tried to get Independent power supply Project (IPPs) to come in. This is an initiative with the private sector coming into the provision of electricity in one form or the other. They will make their own arrangements, how to be claiming their money and other things which necessitate the putting in place of the necessary legal frame work, and the general policy environment among others.
According to Professor Zuru, the master plan will help in this regard because of the issues raised at the various meetings of the stakeholders. Some of the recommendations, he explained, will be put to the ground in terms of incentives to the private sector. There is also the issue of incentives for communities to come in and participate in the provision and maintenance of facilities to be put in place. “So there are so many things which need to be taken care of once this master plan is put in place, the national assembly does it own and the executive approves, it come into place quite a lot of these things would be put in place and you will see a major shift or a major change in some of the problems we are having,’’ he stated. It is expected that renewable energy will be part of the national energy mix, such that certain amount of electricity generated will come from it with the Sokoto energy research centre and others of its ilk playing a big role. It is imperative therefore that for the sector to make major impact, certain incentives must be put in place to encourage people to patronize the systems. “It is to be noted that renewable energy being generally new and competing with the conventional one is a problem in itself. As stressed by Professor Zuru, the conventional energy is an old technology which is produced comparatively at a very low cost than renewable energy. So, the upfront cost of production of renewable energy and the natural phobia of people to something new constitute a hindrance.
Explaining the major sources renewable energy, he said the solar, biomass and the small hydro sources are easily identifiable. There is also coal which however is associated with environmental problem even as a number of countries depend on it. It is noteworthy that while there is the clean coal technology, it is for one country to take advantage of its comparative advantage. Nigeria still has large deposits of this, Zuru added, but also noted that the geothermal and ocean tides constitute emerging other areas of renewable energy like the hydrogen fuel cells. Just as he also noted the nation’s readiness to tap these things towards solving its energy problems. In all this however, it is important tha the 70 or so per cent of the Nigerian people living in the rural areas are not neglected. The needs of the local communities must be addressed, with renewable energy providing the where withal. To this extent, the Sokoto energy research centre has just commissioned a solar mini-grid at Danjawa, a short distance from its base. It provides for the village with a solar home system there. “The village Head there has the solar home system. What you do in the mini-grid system is that you connect panels with your charge controllers and your inverters in a kind of mini-grid system. So you generate all the electricity there and you distribute to the town,’’ the SERC director explains. It is a self contained kind of thing with one’s own panels and charger.
The beauty of renewable energy is that one can deploy it in the simple system form rather than the conventional as in piping gas say from Port Harcourt to Sokoto. You use huge pipes across so many states and you reckon with the problem of vandalisation. But for renewable energy, you deploy it as simple systems, specifically just for the village, localized. Then, there is the issue of biogas when you talk about heating water for cooking. Right now, there is the problem of cooking gas. But just from dung that we have littering all over you can generate gas to cook and have electricity to provide light, according to the expert. “When you start doing that and you are providing gas for cooking and heating which is the major activity in rural communities, you will be surprised when you talk to some of these communities, they may not see light or electricity as a major requirement for them than they will see for example water and the source for something to cook and heat,’’ Professor Zuru stated.
Biogas therefore provides the advantages of helping to clean the environment, providing good fuel for cooking and makes for better fertilizer. Countries like India and others in Asia have gone far in this. Even in Tanzania it is said to be in great use for long. The SERC has already developed biogas digesters and aims to popularize them. The Sokoto state government has been show what has been done at Kwalkwalawa village. Along these lines therefore, the centre has identified similar villages inspected them and is now putting together a proposal to be taken the Sokoto state governor. It is imperative, according the SERC authorities that the Northern State governors sit down and look at the many renewable energy sources available in their domains. The cow dung and other things are in abundance as source of electricity including the thermal stations and other things. “Then the northern states governments that have abundant light over the years will declare the sun as a major energy resource just like we see petroleum and coal as major energy sources. And now invest in technologies to harness the sun and its different gains,’’ Professor Zuru said.
With regards to funding of the identified projects, it is heartening to note that as they relate to biogas for 2007, over 17 million Naira had been released to the centre as part of that year’s appropriation. It concerns the biogas plants to be built across Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger and Kaduna states. The centre is building the biogas digesters and wood stores for families and communinities as pilot projects. There is however the need for more investments research institutes to come in, while the centre requires more funds. Research is therefore an important aspect which however needs patience as it takes time. There is need for a change of attitude generally with regards to those kinds of things we need to develop as a nation. The Indians have done it. Many countries too. We have a lot of Nigerians where these things are being done. It is not beyond us as a nation.