THE CLEAN ENERGY REVOLUTION: NIGERIA IN VIEW
Nigeria as an elephantine sovereign state is constantly under pressure to generate energy to accommodate for the needs of her people. This has seemed to be less of a burden since the discovery of oil in the 50’s, but ended up being a curse in disguise. The country generates about 4000kWh which is in fact not able to power half of the populace and yet causes leviathan hazards to the atmosphere and ecosystem at large. The need for a contravening source of energy cannot be overemphasized, being that the population of the country is invariably increasing and the need to fit into an evolving world is dire.
Nigeria's primary energy consumption was about 108 Mtoe in 2011 wherein Most of the energy came from traditional biomass and waste, which account for 83% of total primary production. The rest is from fossil fuels (16%) and hydropower (1%).Nigeria has oil reserves of about 35 billion barrels (5.6×109 m3) and gas reserves of about 5 trillion cubic metres, ranking 10th and 9th in the world, respectively. Global production in 2009 reached 29 billion barrels (4.6×109 m3) of oil and 3 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
Renewable energy penetration in Nigeria is still in its primordial stage, having it that the only source of renewable energy in the country is hydro-power and biomass; wind and solar energy have only been deployed in minuscule amount. Solar energy in Nigeria is majorly used in urban areas for street lighting, while in rural areas it is used for irrigation and water pumping projects. In 2007, Nigeria set an agenda of producing 7% of its 2025 energy needs from renewable with solar and hydro as the major priority.
Over the years, there have been continuous talks about Climate change globally and the need for clean energy sources, like the Paris climate agreement in 2015 binding 196 countries to act on the reduction of climate change. Nigeria has not been left out of the race, as The Renewable Energy Programme was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Environment in fulfilment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s obligation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Also, In April 2012 Nigeria became a State Partner in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants.
Nigeria as the most populous black country on earth receives sunshine ranging from 6.70kwh/m2/day in the north east to roughly 4.06kwh/m2/d to 5.86kwh/m2/d in the south south. The Federal Capital Territory has a daily horizontal solar radiation ranging from a high of 6.07/kwh/m2/d to a low of 4.42/kwh/m2/d during the month of August. This level of solar radiation indicates the possibility of dependence on a renewable energy as sunlight for power and energy generation. Research shows that by 2050, geothermal energy could meet more than 3 percent of global electricity demand and about 5 percent of the global heat demand, hydropower will contribute about 30 percent of worldwide electricity supply, wind power will grow to more than 20 percent and solar energy becomes one of the major sources of energy supply with about 15 percent. Not forgetting that before the discovery of oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the major drive of the economy. It is expedient to note that agricultural residues like cassava leaves, cow dung, urban refuse and solid waste can be used for the production of biogas which is a clean source of cooking fuel.
Presently, Nigeria generates energy from the burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil, natural gas which poses a major threat to the life of her citizens. A journal on carbon and the climate released by the University of Wisconsin stated that “In the 90’s, human fossil fuel emitted 6.4 Pentagrams of carbon (PgC) per year, and from 2000-2008, 7.7 PgC/yr. Over 2000-2008, emissions increased by 3.4% per year, substantially faster than the growth rate of 1.0% per year in the said period”. This dramatic increase is basically due to a doubling of emissions from developing countries of which Nigeria is a major partisan.
In July 2017, Nigeria experienced a major epidemic wherein lives and properties where lost to flood in more than four major cities of the federation. This can be simply explained with the principle of science that says when the ozone layer is depleted it results in the exposure of the ultraviolet rays on the earth surface causing the melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers causing a rise in the sea level, hence, flooding. It is no news that Nigeria’s oil exploration and gas flaring is a major constituent of the ozone layer depletion which inadvertently causes global warming.
The clarion call for clean energy revolution in Nigeria is one of humongous importance as Renewable energy poses little or no challenge to the populace general welfare as in the case of fossil fuels.Clean energy resources are always replenished and are infinite unlike fossil fuels, they have minimal impacts on the environment and if they are maximized optimally, they would prove to be a stable source of income and curb the menace of unemployment of youth in the country alongside promoting sustainable development.Though, the government must be appreciated for their move in this direction but there is more to be done. The Kanji dam in Jabba is a major synochore whose presence has proved to be of great benefit to Nigeria energy generation and an indication for greater achievements in investing in renewable energy.
Borokinni Joshua
Lagos, Nigeria.