Fossil fuel, renewable energy will solve Nigeria’s power challenge – Expert

Dr Reuben Okeke, an energy expert, and former Director-General of National Power training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), on Friday said fossil fuel and renewable energy, if well harnessed, would solve Nigeria’s power challenge.

Okeke said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Fossil fuel is a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms.

“There are three avenues that the nation should explore; we should not abandon our fossil fuel or our conventional generation, and we would not because that is the one that can give us quick industrialisation.

“Fossil fuel or conventional generation will give a lot of bulk power and the gestation period is not much; renewable energy is equally important because that balances out the fossil fuel we get down south.

“And for the renewable or solar energy, you get more of it up north. So I should think that we should look at these two as well.

“We also can bring in coal-to-power which is very important because we have abundant coal belt that can last to the next generation.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant energy in fossil fuel, abundant sun and abundant hydro energy, so if these things are well harnessed; I think that will make Nigeria come out of woods,’’ Okeke said.

He said that the Federal Government would be generating about 10,000 mega watts from renewable energy in 2030 to augment the other conventional sources of power generation in the country.

Okeke added that with the abundant coal in the country, the nation could generate up to 30, 40 or 50 mega watts of electricity in Nigeria as well.

Okeke listed physical infrastructure and human element or the workforce as things that needed to be developed, to guarantee power stability in the country.

According to him, there have been a lot of improvements in the industry in the physical infrastructure and transmission.

He said that the recent Roadmap on power sector by the present administration, if adhered strictly to and the fuel issue if addressed, would solve the power problem in Nigeria.

Okeke said that about 14 companies had indicated interest to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading PLC (NBET), to invest in renewable energy in Nigeria.

However, Okeke said with what was happening in the Niger Delta and the production and sale of oil and gas globally, these might mitigate the issue of power stability in the country