Adetola Bademosi
In an effort to address Nigeria’s energy deficit, the Federal Government (FG) said it is investing in alternative power sources.
This is coming on the heels of the proposed 30 Megawatts (MW) Windfall And Solar Hybrid Project at Lekki, Lagos.
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu made the disclosure during a presentation on the project, Wednesday, in Abuja.
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Adelabu who was represented by the Director Procurement, Ministry of Power Mr Abdulrasheed Lawal, said the alternative sources being considered would be mini-grids, winds and solar.
He said,” We are aware that presently there is an energy deficit in the country, so we are doing everything possible to address the issue by investing in alternative sources.
“We have to think out of the box to achieve energy sufficiency; we have to look at using mini-grids, solar and wind to achieve this.”
Already, he said a 10MW windfall project is ongoing in Katsina saying; “we are trying to replicate the same in Lagos in order to ensure reliable and steady power supply in the country.
To this end, he said the project, after necessary appraisal, would be executed by Crown Resources Development Company Limited (CREDCO) in collaboration with Vergnet, a French Wind Turbine Company, based in France.
While making his presentation, the subsidiaries manager, Africa, Vergnet Mr Frederic Cheve, said the project aims to harness the abundant wind and solar resources to generate clean and reliable power while mitigating the risks associated with relying on a single source of energy.
He noted that the project whose capacity ranges between 20-30MWs wind and solar hybridised system
He said that the proposed capacity of the project was 20/30 megawatts wind and solar hybridised system will improve energy security and grid stability.
However, he said the project would be developed in phases adding that:”It will create green jobs and boost the local economy, reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and curtail greenhouse gas emissions.
“This project will contribute to achieving Nigeria’s national energy goals,”he said.
On his part, Mr Barney Ojiah, Chief Executive Officer of CREDCO, said they were in the ministry of power to make a presentation on the project and to discuss how to further improve power supply for Nigerians.
He emphasised that power was important in the lives of all Nigerians no matter how it comes.
“This is a collaborative effort between the ministry of power and CREDCO on how to achieve reliable and steady power supply, ”he said.
