Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Perturbed by the constant interrupted power supply experienced at Imilike-Agu village in Udenu Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State, a young man claims that he has built a hydroelectric generator.
Emeka Nelson, who hails from the sleepy community, said he couldn’t continue to fold his arms to watch as his village continues to wallow in perpetual darkness, hence, the beginning of the journey that recently birthed the 610watts generator.
The young man said he is working assiduously to ensure that he builds a higher capacity generator.
In an exclusive chat with Daily sun, the 25-year-old Nelson said he was ready to partner with government or any organisation to solve the perennial power problem in Nigeria through his invention.
His words: “It is the paucity of electricity supply in Nigeria that made me to invent this hydroelectric generator some years ago. It is good that we solve this problem before it goes out of hand.”
Asked how his invention works, the National Diploma (ND) graduate of National Metallurgical Training Institute, Onitsha, Anambra State, where he studied Instrumentation and Control System Engineering, said the generator is called Akapaike in Igbo language, which means power box.
“Akpaike is a portable electricity generator that does not have any form of combustion engine, but is powered by internally moving water. The water creates a mechanical energy that powers the machine and this produces electricity. The power rating is 610Watts, 220Volts, 50Hz. This is the first prototype design and I am currently working on a lager capacity design,” he explained.
Mr. Nelson, who is also the co-founder and Chief Engineer of Generelectric Nigeria Limited, revealed that he has made another world class invention in environmental management, which he called Mgbanwe series.
Throwing more light, he said: “The Mgbanwe C12 and Mgbanwe C13 is a waste-to-wealth machine. They are two versions of a new innovation that turns non-biodegradable wastes or solid hydrocarbon related material wastes like plastic, nylon, waterproof, etc into oil (gasoline) and paraffin which when further processed, yields petrol, kerosene, diesel and some other heavy oils.
“Each machine does all these without any form of chemical additives. The residual slugs or liquid waste generated after the whole process is converted into good quality interlocking stones, pavement blocks, roofing sheets and other construction materials.
“Mgbanwe C12 is the first ever prototype design and it has the capacity of producing one to three litres of gasoline from about one kilogramme of waste at a go and can produce more with continuous feeds. The C13 is a larger, more improved design of the C12 and it has the capacity of producing at least 400 litres of gasoline at a single feed.
Said he: “I have been planning to further my studies. I have also received quite a couple of awards. Some of them are the Scientist and Technologist of the Year Award, JET 2011; Best Invention of the Year and overall winner NTA/ETV Science /Technology Expo 2015; Best Inventive Innovation of the Year Award 2016 (Nigerian Innovation Exchange); Best Inventor and Innovator Award 2017 (OlaL Ndibo 2017); and joint winner, Anambra Talent Show 2018 (Technovative Category).”
Nelson said he would like his works to travel across the world towards solving the problems they were meant to solve.
“Though I am currently working in Abuja but I am at the same time not resting in my oars in continuing my inventive quest. I have patented the invention to my company and I am equally ready to sell it to a reasonable bidder provided it will solve the problems for which they were meant to solve,” Nelson said.