Nigeria can generate 6,000 megawatts from renewable solutions

Mr. Yusuf Suleiman, a renewable energy entrepreneur, has said that Nigeria can generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity from renewable solutions for domestic purposes.

Suleiman, a Chief Executive Officer of Blue Camel Energy, said this at the 'Seeing is Believing: Renewable Option at Work Exhibition' in Abuja on Wednesday.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after taking participants on inspection tour of an off-grid green building using solar and wind energy that renewables were better option for Nigeria.

'If we have one million of this kind of solution on people's roof tops in Nigeria, that means we are generating 6,000 megawatts of electricity.

'The 6,000 megawatts of electricity will be freed from grid generation, which can go into industries and other purposes,'' he said.

The expert said the 10-flat green building, situated at Guzape District of Asokoro Extension, had solar-powered borehole system which could supply about 57,000 litres to over-head tank.

'All the water is generated from eight solar panels and it can work for the next 10 to 15 years.

'We have the solar-powered refrigerator system in the building.

`So, you can see that all the items in the building are powered by renewable energy and are environment-friendly,'' he said.

According to him, the company has the capacity to produce the renewable energy solutions in commercial quantity for Nigerians to take advantage of the technology.

'An average period to train a renewable energy installer is three months and in a year, we can roll out four batches of trainees.

'There is a direct impact of this technology if we can scale it up because it will create employment.

'I have trained close to 100 trainees in the past six years and that is because our demand is limited.

'If I have bigger market and demand, I will multiply that by 20 folds over, so the potential is there to create jobs in the country.''

Citing the example of the company's driver, Sulaiman said that the driver now heads the engineering department.

'Nigerians are not lazy; they need somebody to be on the lead. My Chief Engineer who joined the company as a driver now heads other engineers with formal education.

'He heads other engineers including those that have degrees because he knows the job on the field.

'There is the need for the government to emphasise on the solar solutions, besides that it is cheaper in the long run than the power from the grid.

'All this put together, we look at how we can generate employment in the country and almost reduce dependence on energy from the grid,'' the expert said.

He called on the Federal Government to support entrepreneurs and consumers so make renewables available to Nigerians.

NAN reports that the exhibition was organised by Blue Camel Energy in collaboration with the Heinrich Boll Foundation.

The items exhibited included solar water heater, energy efficient panel light, solar panels, wind turbines and solar-powered refrigerators, among others. The Guardian