FG to address challenges hindering renewable energy in Nigeria

The proliferation of inexperienced and unqualified solar installers as well as substandard inputs and components are among the challenges limiting the growth of renewable energy in Nigeria.

The Managing Director, Gennex Technologies, Mr. Patrick Ilo, who disclosed this during a press briefing to announce the firm’s colloquium for the year, said the Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, Zainab Ahmed; Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), among other experts, policy actors and financial institutions would explore the challenges and possible solutions expected to galvanise the development of the entire renewable energy industry.

The colloquium is scheduled to hold August 16, 2022 at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja with the theme: “Delivering Sustainable Energy Across Africa.”

“One of the major challenges confronting our sectors is how to properly size and design solar solutions to make them more cost-effective and at the same time durable. The entire industry is not helped by the proliferation of inexperienced and unqualified “solar installers, who advise commercial, industrial and even residential customers on solutions design and sizing, and choice of inputs.

“The industry is still grappling with the challenge of sub-standard inputs and components, which has the capacity to erode the confidence of customers in their journey to transition to renewable energy. The industry is also grappling with how to ensure that commercial and Industrial customers, as well as other end users, have access to innovative financial packages to assist them in the uptake of solar solutions,” Ilo highlighted.

He said these issues are germane to the development of the entire solar and renewable energy industry in Nigeria, noting that stakeholders cannot play the ostrich and pretend they do not matter or affect the development of the sector.

He said the firm is focused on revolutionising the off-grid solar and renewable energy space in the country through innovative solutions for seamless transition to clean, renewable energy.

“We are looking at a day where every household and industry will be off the national grid and use renewable energy. We want to make sure renewable energy is installed in every household, communities, rural areas and industries, both private and public.

We want to make sure our company is at the front burner of providing the best, reliable, safe and affordable renewable energy and solar power to every household and industry.

Speaking further on the colloquium, Ilo said: “Our expectation is that by bringing the entire ecosystem together to highlight and distill these issues and solutions, we will have workable plans of action going forward. Through the Gennex Colloquium 2022, we are also very optimistic that we will be able to place on the table of policy actors, critical insights and agenda that would galvanise the development of the entire renewable energy industry.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Technical, Tunji Tayo, said: “We are partnering with the government on bringing people out of darkness. We have the resources, expertise and materials to power homes. We also leverage local accessories, which we design and use to manufacture solar energy. This drops the demand for forex in the sector.”