From Felix Ikem, Nsukka
Prof Emenike Ejiogu, the Director Center of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), has said that energy transition is an existential necessity for every nation.
Ejiogu said this in Nsukka on Saturday in Key Note address during a seminar on “Opportunity and Challenges of the Energy Transition and the Need for Investment in Renewable,” organized by the German Nigeria Hydrogen Office, in collaboration with the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), Nsukka Chapter.
He said that the need to transit to earth-friendly energy sources became necessary due to the high rate of environmental destruction from conventional energy sources and their continuous increase in cost, as well as insufficiency.
“Energy Transition is a global energy sector’s shift from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption which includes oil, natural gas and coal to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries,”
“Currently, Nigeria is energy-starved, looking at our population of approximately 200m people with Power available on the national grid at about 5000MW, which is 25W per person.
“Without a doubt, there is a huge Energy Insufficiency in Nigeria, which impedes must production organisation in the country that depends on the conventional power source,” he said.
Speaking further, Ejiogu, who is the. Dean, Faculty of Engineering, UNN said renewable energy is a source of clean, inexhaustible energy.
“Renewable energy is pollution-free as it does not produce any greenhouse gas and polluting emissions which are otherwise produced in the case of non-renewable sources.
“The costs for renewable energy are also falling at a sustainable rate opposite to the rate trend of fossil fuels because Agro-wastes from the rural and farming communities can be used for clean energy transition,” he said.
In a remake, Gina Lagunes Diaz, head of the German-Nigerian Hydrogen Office, who joined virtually said that Nigeria government and private sector players should tap into the growing opportunities in green hydrogen production, especially now that many countries who are major importers of Nigerian crude oil have set deadlines to decarbonize.
“We are in Nigeria to collaborate with the government and private sectors in the field of green hydrogen as an alternative energy.
“We aim to support Nigeria in exploring the potentials of green hydrogen and consequently foster the sustainable transformation of the country’s industry and economy.
“Nigeria as a traditional fossil fuel exporting country with existing oil and gas infrastructure and capacity can leverage on the new economy to transition towards sustainable energy,” she said.
Diaz assured that they will continue to support Nigeria in her quest to achieve sustainable and renewable energy through technical support, policy and awareness development, and training workshops.
Also speaking, Mrs Nneoma Aneke, Senior lecturer at the Department of Agriculture and Bioresource Engineering, UNN, and Technical Secretary of APWEN Nsukka Chapter, spoke on Financing for Energy Transition and the need for Incentive Mechanisms.”
She said that Green hydrogen is when the energy used to produce hydrogen by electrolysis process comes from renewable sources like wind, water, or solar.
“Green Hydrogen plays a vital role in the energy transition, it enables large-scale efficient renewable energy integration, distribute energy across sectors and regions, among other things,” she said.
She noted that there is abundant renewable energy especially solar and wind in Nigeria which can enhance the exportation of clean energy using green hydrogen.