From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in collaboration with the Geometric Power Limited will commence the construction of a hydropower plant in the state.
Director, Innovation and Sustainable Development Centre for Rural Sustainable Development, ESUT, Paul Nnamchi, disclosed this at the presentation of prizes to winners of regional competition on technological innovations in renewable energy, waste-to-energy, green materials and sustainable agriculture, at the Agbani Main Campus of the institution.
“The centre has been awarded a pre-feasibility/feasibility study contract to develop hydropower capabilities in the vicinity of the confluence of the Ekulu-Inyaba Rivers by Geometric Power, one of the Gencos and Discos,” he said.
He further disclosed the centre has attracted a new LEAPRE EU-African grant with a consortium for a solar-induced project worth €750,000 and which consists of an induction cooking device using solar panels for power supply and also making a passive refrigeration system from local natural products.
Nnamchi said the centre facilitates local collaborations between different disciplines and businesses such as sustainable agriculture that requires energy. He noted that entrepreneurs in agriculture collaborate with engineers who develop renewable energy solutions to implement green technologies and minimise the food production cost while local universities develop project-based teaching and learning curricula with the focus on implementation of results in rural development.
ESUT acting Vice Chancellor, Charles Eze, urged the students to embrace innovations and entrepreneurship in the face of the impacts of exploration of fossil fuel on the environment.
He said the competition was carried out in such a manner that no one can fault the selection process.
The programme featured the presentation of cash awards to 12 budding innovators, engineers and scientists who won in various innovation and research works sponsored by the Royal Academy of Engineering, Northumbria University, Newcastle, United Kingdom.
Their inventions ranged from local fabrication of roofing and ceiling sheets from Bamboo fronts, artificial intelligence machine for monitoring of an aquaculture, to invention of sustainable power inverters capable of long-lasting energy supplies.