Electric power is of fundamental importance to the economic, social and industrial development of Nigeria. It is a country with legendary gas reserves that remains afflicted with an abysmal power situation which has stunted its economic growth, crippled the industries and generally made life difficult for the teeming population. The goals of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS 1) for wealth creation, employment generation, poverty reduction and value reorientation and the need for Nigeria to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) require improvement in the electric power sector.

With a population of over 140 million people, Nigeria has a total installed power generating capacity of 6,000mw derived from both hydro and thermal power plants. The hope of generating electricity above 4000 megawatt this year was unattainable. Hasty privatisation, improper coordination in the power sector and inadequate tariff structure are the chief factors considered responsible for the failure of the reforms begun by the Obasanjo government. There is an urgent need for an effective holistic master plan for the development of the electricity industry, including appropriate funding.

Nigeria has plans to increase access to electricity throughout the country to 85% by 2010. This would call for 16 new power plants, approximately 15000km of transmission lines, as well as distribution facilities.

The challenge in transmission is to boost power wheeling capacity to 4000MW, increase flexibility in system operation and control, improve voltage regulation and quality of power supply, improve system protection and availability of substation equipment for power delivery. Others are improvement in lifespan of transformers, and reduction in system collapse.

The Nigerian government is in the process of privatising existing facilities. It has been reported that NEPA is to be split into 30 units to facilitate its privatisation. The government is seeking independent power producers to generate and sell electricity to NEPA.

There could not be a one-off solution to the problem of power supply. Solutions like APDRP scheme with help of World Bank in India has started showing results now even though there is still about 35% power deficit in India. Nigeria too should start looking into such schemes and improve the situation there.

The onus lies on the government to step forward towards distributed energy generation. The huge amount of $10B spent in the power sector in the last 8 years has not produced the desired results. Rather, these funds need to have been used in subsidising the costs of solar panels and wind generators to provide alternative stable power generation in the country just as it is done in some developed nations. The government must setup serious research institutes that would look for ways to develop solar panels and wind turbines in Nigeria.

Nuclear Power must be considered as a viable option in the fight against Nigeria’s perennial electricity dilemma.

Harnessing the energy from changes in ocean tide levels along the West African coast has the potential of providing the region with alternative electric power supply. Hydrocarbon, fossil Fuel Biomass and Solar based power stations cannot be completely relied upon to meet the regions energy needs in the coming decade as the energy demands grow exponentially.

American solar energy investors are taking Nigeria by storm, seeking partnerships with individuals and corporations in Nigeria. It will benefit individual persons for domestic consumption as well as, institutional consumers. Such a system will not only be vital in an electric power starved country like Nigeria but will also in the long term save more money for the telecom companies.

Taslim Owonikoko, one of the ambitious young Nigerian scientists, is involved in creating alternative sources of energy using biological plants. The significance of his research outcome if harnessed may provide solution to the problems of power outage currently experienced in the country,

Another option available for alternate power generation involves extracting the energy in the bio waste products (heaps of sawdust, rice-husk and millet-waste, a common site in the food basket towns) and put to good use by turning it to useful energy. These bio-fuels are good for the environment when converted to energy because they fit well into the natural carbon cycle.

Energy efficiency and energy conservation need to be analysed in an objective and workable manner. In most of the modern electronic appliances, digital signal processing is used in the area of power conversions to provide greater efficiencies in the power conversion stages. There is an urgent need to accept this latest technology. New investments in renewable energy sources from coal, solar, wind, biomass and hydro power need to be encouraged by fiscal incentives.

The MDG Africa Initiative is focusing on seven thematic sectors considered of relevance to boost the implementation of the MDGs in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2015, including: health; education; infrastructure; agriculture and food security; statistical capacity; aid predictability; and strengthening joint efforts at the country level.

INDIA: India is the sixth largest electricity generating country in the world and accounts for about 4% of global annual electricity generation. Annual electricity generation and consumption have increased by about 64% in the past decade and its projected rate of increase in electricity consumption - estimated at as much as 8-10% annually through to 2020 -India is one of the highest in the world. However India still only has an electrification rate of 44.4%.

The Indian government has announced plans to provide power to the entire population by 2012 - this would require an additional 68,500 MW of base capacity. India eyes 100,000 MW

capacity from renewable sources by 2050. Currently, 7,200 MW of installed capacity of power generation from renewable sources constitutes 6 per cent of the entire power generating installed capacity in the Country. India has an institutional capacity of 130,000 megawatts, which includes thermal, hydro, nuclear and renewable energy sources. India is talking about adding 500,000 to 600,000 megawatts in the next 20 years.

Companies like IBM Global, Belliss India Limited and Reliance have taken the initiative in providing solution for the power industry. The government is providing incentives for setting up of power generation projects in the form of capital subsidy and fiscal incentives such as accelerated depreciation, relief from taxes and duties, term loans from Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

Our quest for a stable power supply would remain a mirage unless concrete efforts are made to save the power sector from collapse. We must embrace energy efficiency and conservation to enable existing industries function in a better way and encourage new ones to spring up in the country. Foreign investors are likely to set up manufacturing companies and our people will acquire skills while in employment. Energy efficiency is not a lost cause…….rather a reality we must face very soon.

LET’S WORK TOGETHER: All countries need to reduce their GHG emissions. No one wants to live in a world destroyed by Climate Change. The developed countries have contributed more in the way of pollution to the atmosphere and as a result will have to take up more of the burden. We should look on it as a business opportunity: if we develop technologies to compete with fossil fuels we will have a huge market to sell these technologies. There is a fortune to be made out of alternative energy. So the future of the planet is in our hands. Our politicians will make the crucial decisions in the next couple of years. We need to make sure they make the right decisions.

Filed under: Power Generation