Energy Commission, stakeholders brainstorm on renewable energy, power

As the country continues to grapple with economic challenges and irregular power supply, the Energy Commission of Nigeria yesterday started a three-day Capacity Building Training on Energy and Environment to brainstorm on the technology suitable for the actualisation of a renewable energy which would reduce waste and improve power in the country.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop at the University of Benin, Benin City, the Director General of the Commission, Prof Eli Jidere Bala, said renewable energy project would soon be launched in the country and that it was imperative to train efficient manpower as pilots for the expected project.

Represented by the Director of Renewable Energy in the Commission Prof Joseph Diola, he said the country is blessed with abundant resources enough to generate renewable energy which could serve as a source of income to the country and reduce environmental hazards but that the challenge remains the technology to do so.

He said the workshop is to also unveil problems of renewable energy with a view to finding a lasting solution to it from diverse respondents.

“Energy as we know is very crucial, and without it ,we can’t do anything. We are blessed in this country with abundant resources of energy both conventional and non conventional. What we need is the technology to explore and deploy the resources to help us in sustainable development of the nation.

“The essence of this workshop is to gather tools from the target audience, energy and research institutions in this country, what has been done so far, look at them and proffer solutions,” he stated.

On his part, the Director, Centre for Energy and Environment, Dr. Sunday Ogbonmwan, said renewable energy has been accepted globally except in Nigeria. He said: “As part of the core mandate, the national centre is charged with the responsibility of conducting and dissemination of research finding on energy and research laboratory across the country.

“The emphasis of sustainable, renewable energy gained global acceptance especially in the last few days. The workshop will reveal new technology in renewable and alternative energy.

“Globally researches are being conducted to find a sustainable solution to global warming and the attendant correspondent of climate change. Scientists have conjectured that with cleaner energy a cleaner environment is assured and that is why we are focusing on renewable and alternative energy that will create problem to everybody.

“Scientists have conjectured that cleaner energy brings cleaner environment for example the project “waste to energy”, you are removing waste from the environment and turning it into energy and it is not the type that will disturb anymore.”