FG to power 9 universities with solar energy

THE Federal Government has disclosed plans power nine tertiary institutions with solar energy in the ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions in line with global best practices.

Minister of State for Environment, Mr Ibrahim Usman Jibril, announced this during his working visit to the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) Solar Energy Ltd (NSEL) Plant located in Karshi, Abuja.

This step, according to him, was part of government`s efforts to ensure a clean and healthy environment.

He said solar energy would encourage the use of local content which would in turn help the country to save foreign exchange as well as create employment for the teeming youths.

Conducting the minister on the facility tour of the plant, the Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI Solar Energy Limited, Professor Mohammed Sanni Haruna noted that the plant was the first Solar PV Module/Solar Panel manufacturing company in Nigeria.

He also revealed that the Plant has a 7.5MW capacity and it could produce all sizes and capacities of Solar PV module.

Professor Haruna explained that it was established by the Federal Government to primarily reduce cost of quality solar panel by producing solar panels that were 100 per cent made in Nigeria.

He further said company’s products could compete favourably with any imported solar panel in Nigeria.