From Ajiri Daniels, Abuja
Considering the huge energy demands in the country, with a teeming population of over 180million people, stakeholders in the Nigerian electricity sector have called for broader exploration in green energy and other renewable energy resources.
This was the outcome of the official opening of the Nigerian Intelligent Clean Energy (NICE) project¸ focused on showcasing and demonstrating installed solar power systems at Capital Science Academy (CSA), and the local community in Kuje, Abuja.
The project comes as an initiative of the Department for International development (DFID-UK)/Innovate UK Government Project and anchored by the Nigerian Intelligent Clean Energy (NICE), with partners such as QEnergy, VAYA Energy, Nigerian Renewable Energy Company, and Manchester Metropolitan University – a leading research institute in smart grids and peer to peer energy trading.
Prof Bamidele Adebisi, an expert in intelligent infrastructure systems at the Manchester Metropolitan University, UK explained that the project was to address fundamental issues in energy systems, adding that the aim was not just about resolving the issue of power cuts, but also providing access to green energy.
“The project is about giving access to people who don’t currently have access to energy and we do that using renewable energy. And we are not just stopping at that; we have intelligence system that is able to integrate both renewable and nonrenewable energy and we are able to connect with people within the community and make efficient use of available resources,” he said.
Also speaking on the agenda, Mr. Stanley Vandu, CEO of VAYA Energy said, “this showcase event is basically to get to show our guests what we have done, and how it works and how we plan to scale it. It has to do with improving power supply in the Nigerian space.
“It is quite an expensive project but there are a lot of funds available for clean energy projects even within Nigeria. There are funds from the AFDB, Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance. The cost is not directly passed to the end users. The end users basically pay for the power they consume. The peer to peer system makes it simpler and easier to get power to the end users. With this system, you don’t have to build large power plants and send power down to homes. Every home now can become a power plant and people trade energy between each other. That’s the core objective of this project.”
In her remarks, the Principal and CEO of Capital Science Academy (CSA), Mrs. Rachel Borland, said the solar installation project has had positive impact on the school in improving their capacity to hold examinations and other functions without relying on AEDC or generators.
“We’ve been able to have functions such as graduations, assemblies with power supply. All of these haven’t been possible in the past, but now we’re benefitting from this solar power and we’re looking forward to the next stage of cascading this development to the other buildings,” she said.
Speaking further, CSA’s Director of Administration, Mr. Abdullahi Abubakar, commended the initiative, noting that solar energy and other renewable energy resources have the potential to become Nigeria’s main supply of energy and indeed the world at large if properly and professionally harnessed.
He expressed gratitude to the various stakeholders and development partners for the laudable project executed in the school.
“The installation of solar power in CSA Exam hall has helped the school in many ways. Our examinations, staff briefings, staff trainings, school assembly, graduation and all other activities enjoy uninterrupted power supply,” he added.