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By Chinenye Anuforo
Experts and the Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF) are calling for a significant overhaul in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector, emphasizing the necessity of robust standards and comprehensive policy frameworks. CADEF recently hosted a webinar, “Understanding Solar Panel Efficiency and Battery Storage,” building on their December 2024 “DER Advantage” session, which aimed to transform Nigeria’s energy deficits into renewable opportunities.
The event highlighted the importance of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and the critical role of solar panel efficiency and battery storage in ensuring reliable, clean energy access.
Professor Chiso Ndukwe-Okafor, Executive Director of CADEF, reiterated the organization’s commitment to consumer empowerment and sustainable development. “We are committed to providing consumers with the necessary tools and information to make informed decisions,” she stated.
She pointed out that CADEF’s survey revealed a critical gap between existing policies and their implementation, a sentiment shared by other experts during the webinar. “One thing we found out when we did our survey, was that different policies are in place, but there are gaps in implementation,” she said.
Professor Ndukwe-Okafor advocated for a unified policy framework that includes incentives for both vendors and consumers.
“It’s a focus we hope to address in the future on how to bring all of these policies together and have one comprehensive policy that also include tax breaks and incentives, not only for the vendors or importers, but also for the installers and for the adopters,” she advocated.
She emphasized the importance of tax breaks for businesses transitioning to solar power, suggesting that such incentives could help them recover the costs of installing renewable energy systems. “We are trying to encourage people, if you’re telling a business person to have a solar powered, then give them a tax break. There are ways you can give them a couple of years tax break so that they can recover from providing their own energy,” she noted.
The webinar featured Dr. Segun Adaju, a renewable energy consultant and investor, and Engineer Chinedu Okwaraoka, a solar systems specialist.
Adaju addressed the critical issue of policy gaps and standardization. He acknowledged existing policies like the National Energy Policy (2022) and the Renewable Energy Master Plan (2011), but highlighted significant challenges in implementation and enforcement. “We have policies in place, but the gap lies in implementation,” he stated.
Adaju called for a legally binding Renewable Energy Act, similar to those in Ghana and Kenya, to strengthen enforcement and ensure consistency.
He further raised concerns about “standardization being hindered by a lack of enforced technical standards and quality control issues. The market is flooded with substandard products, discouraging adoption. Grid integration standards are also lacking, preventing net metering.”
He also emphasized the need for stricter importation controls, robust quality assurance, and mandatory testing facilities. “The market is flooded with substandard products, discouraging adoption,” he warned. Adaju advocated for a system similar to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), where products are certified and easily verifiable by consumers.
Adaju called for stronger policy and regulatory strategies, including enforcing national and international standards, strengthening importation controls, and adopting quality assurance programs. He also advocated for “mandatory testing facilities, enhanced R&D, and training and certification for installers.”
Okwaraoka focused on demystifying solar panel and battery labels, empowering consumers to interpret, troubleshoot, and optimize their systems.
He stressed the importance of understanding solar panel labels and ratings, urging consumers to prioritize certified products to avoid issues like fire hazards and poor performance.
“Every solar panel that you have out there in the market is meant to do one thing, to take energy from the sun and convert it to energy for you to use in your house,” Okwaraoka explained.
He highlighted the significance of efficiency, which is the panel’s ability to convert solar radiation into usable energy with minimal loss. Underscoring the role of battery storage in ensuring a consistent power supply.
Okwaraoka further elaborated on the importance of standard organizations like UL and IEC, which certify products and assure consumers of their quality. “These standards guarantee the products that will apply in the market. It gives us that assurance that this product is actually what the manufacturer says it is,” he stated.
He also demystified solar panel labels, explaining the meaning of wattage, voltage, and current ratings, which are crucial for determining a panel’s performance.
The event also addressed the need for grid integration standards, advocating for net metering frameworks to allow consumers to sell excess energy back to the grid.
CADEF’s initiative underscores the growing recognition of renewable energy’s potential to address Nigeria’s energy challenges. By focusing on consumer education and advocating for robust standards and policies, the organization aims to accelerate the adoption of sustainable energy solutions across the nation.
