Nigeria engineers urged to drive energy efficiency

Towards curbing the nation’s energy crisis, professional engineers have been urged to fashion out innovative solutions that will enable Nigerians enjoy the benefits of renewable energy.

President, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Adekunle Mokuolu, who made the charge at a public lecture and induction of new members organised by the Apapa Branch of the Society at Lagos Airport, Ikeja, stressed the importance of improved energy sector to the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDPs).

Mokuolu, who was represented by Salau Lawal, said many companies are moving out the country predominately as a result of energy issue, thereby causing the government loss of income.

He urged young engineers to be part of the supply chain, using their technical expertise by getting acquainted with companies involved in solar panels and invests in assets and not in liabilities.

He stressed that engineers it find difficult to market their designs because they are not actively involved in the decision making process.

According to him, since Nigeria did not appreciate their own, there is need for engineers to change the psyche by positioning themselves to solve energy problems.

In his remarks, the chairman of the branch, Dr Ombugadu Garba, said the branch is at the forefront of public discourse on national issues to encourage the development of engineering in Nigeria.

He noted that successive governments had committed several billions of naira in the energy sector without commensurate results.

According to him, the highest that the country can generate is 7,000 mega watts, which is grossly inadequate for the nation.

The lecture titled: “ Renewable Energy”, he said, is to draw from available options that government can use to solve the problem of energy.

He therefore challenged young engineers to come out with innovations to tap in from the energy challenge, saying there are great potentials in the sector.

“They should ensure that as good ambassadors of the society to ensure the development of Nigeria”, he added.

In his lecture on Renewable Energy, Assistant National operation manager, Mikano International Limited, Mr. Ibrahim Busari, urged engineers to be a solution provider in power generation.

He noted that the electricity requirement of the country is increasing at alarming rate and the demand has been running ahead of supply.

He stressed the need for national standards to encourage increased energy production from renewable sources.

Busari further said there are needs to implement polices at national level that include a clean energy standard, known as a renewable portfolio standard (RPS), increase the amount of electricity generation from renewable sources of energy to 20 per cent of power generation by 2030.

Beyond, he called for a public benefit fund to finance energy efficiency programmes and national matching funds to the state to help enhance the state programmes.

According to him, it is now widely recognized that fossil fuel and other conventional resources that are presently used for electricity generation may not be suitable or sufficient to keep the pace with ever increasing demand of energy in the country.

He also noted that the generation of electrical power by conventional energy sources generate or causes pollution which is likely to be more acute in future due to large generating capacity on one side and the awareness of the people in the respect.

He stressed that the recent severe energy crisis has forced the world to develop new and alternative method of power generation, which has not been adopted so far due to various reasons.

It is important to explore the potential renewable energy option to meet out national need by analyzing the technical, economic and environmental assessments. The non-conventional method of power generation may be such as solar, wind power, clean biomass and geothermal energy among others.

On his part an awardee and marine engineer, Ndudi Onyibe urged engineers to liaise with government with a view to create a portfolio or a national standard that will help in tackling the nation’s energy problems.

According to him, engineers will need to come out of their shells to contribute maximally in tackling the nation’s numerous challenges.

Also the inaugural chairman of the branch and former president of The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers (NIMechE), Chief Akintunde Zedomi, urged young engineers not to make the mistakes of old by presenting themselves through innovative manner to meet the demands of the changing times.