It's the end of the fossil fuel era as we know it

Contrary to what the fossil fuel industry may want you to believe, the transformation of the world's energy supply to clean energy sources is well underway, according to a new report from Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF). 

The "New Energy Outlook" report, released Monday, finds that at least $11.4 trillion will be invested in new power-generating capacity over the next 25 years, and 60 percent of that will fund wind and solar power. 

According to the report, we'll reach a tipping point in 2027, when new wind and solar power actually become cheaper than running existing coal and gas generators in much of the world. This will cause an acceleration in the deployment of clean energy technologies.

However, explosive emissions growth in India and Southeast Asia mean that the world is still not on the path necessary to limit global warming to the increases of 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, that were targeted by the Paris Climate Agreement.

To meet that goal, an additional $5.3 trillion in new clean energy investment worldwide would be needed during the next 25 years.

“Some $7.8 trillion will be invested globally in renewables between 2016 and 2040, two-thirds of the investment in all power generating capacity, but it would require trillions more to bring world emissions onto a track compatible with the United Nations... climate target," said Seb Henbest, the lead author of the report, in a press release.

Nevertheless, compared to other recent reports from BP and the DOE's Energy Information Administration, the BNEF report presents a far more optimistic outlook for the expanded use of zero or low-emissions technologies, from solar panels to electric vehicles.

The BNEF report contains several key predictions. When it comes to solar power, BNEF analysts think a reduction in the cost of developing, financing and operating new utility-scale solar installations will help drive costs lower. The projections foresee the spread of rooftop solar in Europe, Australia and the U.S., and soon in India and China as well. 

By 2040, the BNEF report finds, Germany, Mexico, the UK and Australia will "all have average wind and solar penetration of more than 50 percent." 

According to the report, an increase in solar and wind power generation will be accompanied by a decrease in coal and gas power plants over the next 25 years. But some coal plants will still be needed, particularly in developing countries like China and India. 

What happens with global fossil fuel emissions — and therefore our ability to contain global warming to at or below 2 degrees Celsius or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit above preindustrial levels — will hinge on what happens in the Asia-Pacific region.

This is because energy demands in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to "experience colossal growth," the report found, with a tripling of installed new power generation capacity. 

While solar and wind will make major gains, coal will still be this region's biggest source of electricity through 2040. This means that global power sector greenhouse gas emissions will not peak until after 2040.

The BNEF report is also bullish on the future for electric vehicles, projecting that they will make up 25 percent of the global car fleet by 2050, which would drive down battery and energy storage costs but increase electricity demand.

Tesla Offers £1.91bn To Buy SolarCity

Electric car manufacturer Tesla makes an offer to buy solar panel firm SolarCity in a bid to grow its clean energy business.

Tesla Motors has made a bid to acquire SolarCity - a US company that designs, finances and installs solar power systems - in an attempt to boost its clean energy business.

The electric car maker's offer is estimated to be worth about $2.8bn (£1.91bn), sending the company’s shares soaring.

Shares in Tesla dropped more than 13% in extended trading, while shares in SolarCity climbed 18%.

Tesla's chief executive, Elon Musk, described the deal as a "no brainer" and natural expansion for the business that alongside being a market leader in electric cars, has been selling batteries that can power homes since last year.

"Instead of making three trips to a house to put in a car charger and solar panels and battery pack, you can integrate that in a single visit," he said.

The merger would build on an existing partnership between the two companies, under which SolarCity uses Tesla batteries as part of its solar projects, according to Tesla. 

Mr Musk, who is also chairman of SolarCity and the largest shareholder of both companies, said the deal was an "obvious thing to do" to expand both companies’ markets.

10 technologies shaping the future of solar power

From bio-solar cells and floating solar farms to energy harvesting trees and transmission of power from space, the future looks quite bright for renewable energy

1. Bio-solar cells

For the first time ever, researchers connected nine biological-solar (bio-solar) cells into a bio-solar panel and continuously produced electricity from the panel and generated the most wattage of any existing small-scale bio-solar cells.

Last year, the group took steps towards building a better bio-solar cell by changing the materials used in anodes and cathodes (positive and negative terminals) of the cell and also created a miniature microfluidic-based single-chambered device to house the bacteria instead of the conventional, dual-chambered bio-solar cells.

However, this time, the group connected nine identical bio-solar cells in a 3x3 pattern to make a scalable and stackable bio-solar panel. The panel continuously generated electricity from photosynthesis and respiratory activities of the bacteria in 12-hour day-night cycles over 60 total hours.

The current research is the latest step in using cyanobacteria—which can be found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic habitat on earth—as a source of clean and sustainable energy.

Even with the breakthrough, a typical “traditional” solar panel on the roof of a residential house, made up of 60 cells in a 6x10 configuration, generates roughly 200 watts of electrical power at a given moment. The cells from this study, in a similar configuration, would generate about 0.00003726 watts. So, it isn’t efficient just yet, but the findings open the door to future research of the bacteria itself.

“Once a functional bio-solar panel becomes available, it could become a permanent power source for supplying long-term power for small, wireless telemetry systems as well as wireless sensors used at remote sites where frequent battery replacement is impractical,” said Seokheun ‘Sean’ Choi, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science, and co-author of the paper, in a 11 April press statement.

The findings are currently available online and will be published in the June edition of the journal Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical.

2. A new way for converting solar energy into electricity

Researchers from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel, and the University of Bochum in Germany, reported a new paradigm for the development of photo-bioelectrochemical cells in Nature Energy this January, providing a means for the conversion of solar energy into electricity.

While photosynthesis is the process by which plants and other organisms make their own food using carbon dioxide, water and sunlight, bioelectrochemical systems take advantage of biological capacities (microbes, enzymes, plants) for the catalysis of electrochemical reactions.

In a 19 January press statement, the researchers pointed out that although significant progress has been achieved in the integration of native photosystems with electrodes for light-to-electrical energy conversion, uniting photosystems with enzymes to yield photo-bioelectrocatalytic solar cells remains a challenge.

Hence, the researchers constructed photo-bioelectrochemical cells using the native photosynthetic reaction and the enzymes glucose oxidase, or glucose dehydrogenase. The system comprises modified integrated electrodes that include the natural photosynthetic reaction centre, known as photosystem I, along with the enzymes. The native proteins are electrically wired by means of chemical electron transfer mediators. Photo-irradiation of the electrodes leads to the generation of electrical power, while oxidizing the glucose substrate acts as a fuel.

The system provides a model to harness the native photosynthetic apparatus for the conversion of solar light energy into electrical power, using biomass substrates as fuels. Itamar Willner, a professor at the Hebrew University’s Institute of Chemistry, said in a statement: “The study results provide a general approach to assemble photo-bioelectrochemical solar cells with wide implications for solar energy conversion, bioelectrocatalysis and sensing.”

3. Reshaping solar spectrum to turn light into electricity

Land and labour costs account for the bulk of the expense when installing solar panels since solar cells—made often of silicon or cadmium telluride—rarely account for more than 20% of the total cost. Hence, solar energy could be made cheaper if less land had to be purchased to accommodate the panels. This is best achieved if each solar cell generates more power, but it is not easy.

A team of chemists at the University of California says it has found a way to make this happen. In a paper that was published in Nano Letters, an American Chemical Society publication, the researchers said that by combining inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals with organic molecules, they succeeded in “upconverting” (two low-energy photons into one high-energy photon) photons in the visible and near-infrared regions of the solar spectrum.

The infrared region of the solar spectrum passes right through the photovoltaic materials that make up today’s solar cells, explained Christopher Bardeen, a professor of chemistry in a press release on 27 July 2015. This upconverted photon is readily absorbed by photovoltaic cells, generating electricity from light that normally would be wasted, according to Bardeen.

He added that these materials are essentially “reshaping the solar spectrum” so that it better matches the photovoltaic materials used today in solar cells. The ability to utilize the infrared portion of the solar spectrum could boost solar photovoltaic efficiencies by 30% or more.

Besides solar energy, the ability to upconvert two low-energy photons into one high-energy photon has potential applications in biological imaging, data storage and organic light-emitting diodes, says Bardeen.

4. WaterNest 100

Indian real estate developers can take a lesson or two from this project. EcoFloLife has developed the WaterNest 100 eco-friendly floating house, exclusively designed by renowned Italian architect Giancarlo Zema. It is an over 100 sq. m residential unit, 12 metres in diameter and 4 metres high, made entirely of recycled laminated timber and a recycled aluminium hull. Balconies are conveniently located on the sides and thanks to the large windows, permit enjoyment of fascinating views over the water. Bathroom and kitchen skylights are located on the wooden roof, as well as 60 sq. m of amorphous photovoltaic panels capable of generating 4kWp, which are used for the internal needs of the floating house. The interior of WaterNest 100 floating house can include a living room, dining area, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom or have other configurations according to the different housing or working needs.

The floating house can be positioned along river courses, lakes, bays, atolls and sea areas with calm waters. The use of materials and sustainable production systems make this unit recyclable up to as much as 98%. It has a hull that is made entirely of aluminium—a light alloy, highly resistant to impact, corrosion and 100% recyclable. Its photovoltaic panels installed on the wooden roof differ from conventional ones due to the low-energy consumption required for their production. From an aesthetic point of view, they can be curved to fit almost any type of roofing.

5. Floating panels, floating solar farms

In many countries, there is a lack of space to install large-scale ground-mount solar systems. As authorities wish to avoid taking away large farmlands for ground-mount solar systems, companies are introducing ecological alternative solutions.

One such firm is French company Ciel & Terre International, which has been developing large-scale floating solar solutions since 2011. Its Hydrelio Floating PV system allows standard PV panels to be installed on large bodies of water such as drinking water reservoirs, quarry lakes, irrigation canals, remediation and tailing ponds, and hydroelectric dam reservoirs.

This simple and affordable alternative to ground-mounted systems is particularly suitable for water-intensive industries that cannot afford to waste either land or water.

This is how it works. The main float is constructed of high-density thermoplastic (HDPE) and is set at a 12-degree angle to support a standard 60-cell PV solar module. A secondary non-slip HDPE float is then used to link the main floats together and provide a platform for maintenance and added buoyancy.

According to Ciel and Terre, the system is easy to install and dismantle, can be adapted to any electrical configuration, is scalable from low- to high-power generation and requires no tools or heavy equipment. It is also eco-friendly, fully recyclable, has low environmental impact and is cost-effective.

To date, the system has been installed in the UK. The company has also set up projects for floating solar farms in countries such as India, France and Japan.

6. Transmitting solar power wirelessly from space

The Japanese Space Agency (JAXA)’s Space Solar Power Systems (SSPS) aims at transmitting energy from orbiting solar panels by 2030. On 12 March, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHI) successfully conducted a ground demonstration test of “wireless power transmission”, a technology that will serve as the basis for the SSPS. In the test, 10kW of electricity was successfully transmitted via a microwave unit. Power reception was confirmed at a receiver located 500 metres away. LED lights on the receiver confirmed the transmission. This marks a new milestone in transmission distance and power load (enough to power a set of conventional kitchen appliances).

Potentially, a solar battery in orbit (36,000km above earth) could generate power that would then be transmitted to earth via microwave/laser, without relying on cables. JAXA anticipates that this new technology could become a mainstay energy source that will simultaneously solve both environmental and energy issues on earth.

The estimated lifecycle carbon dioxide emission for the operational SSPS indicates that it is almost the same as from nuclear power system and much less than fossil fuel power system, JAXA claims on its website. Countries such as India, China and Japan are investing heavily in these technologies right now.

7. Solar energy harvesting trees

Researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre in Finland have used solar and 3D printing technologies to develop prototypes of what they have christened as “energy harvesting trees”. The tiny leaves generate and store solar energy and can be used to power small appliances and mobile devices. They flourish indoors and outdoors and can also harvest kinetic energy from wind and temperature changes in the surrounding environment.

The tree’s leaves are actually flexible organic solar cells, printed using well-established mass-production techniques. Each leaf has a separate power converter, creating a multi-converter system that makes it possible to collect energy from a variety of sources such as solar, wind and heat temperature.

The more solar panels there are in a tree, the more energy it can harvest. The tree trunk is made with 3D technology by exploiting wood-based biomaterials VTT has developed. They are mass producible and can be infinitely replicated.

8. Squeezing more out of the sun

The sun is undoubtedly the greatest sustainable energy source for earth, but the problem is the low efficiency: 80% of installed PV panels worldwide have a performance of 15% or lower; if the panels are not tracked with the sun, the average of annual tilt losses add up to minus 70%. German architect Andre Broessel believes he has a solution.

He says his company Rawlemon can “squeeze more juice out of the sun”, even during the night hours and in low-light regions. He has created a spherical sun power generator prototype called the beta.ray. His technology will combine spherical geometry principles with a dual axis tracking system, allowing twice the yield of a conventional solar panel in a much smaller surface area.

The futuristic design is fully rotational and is suitable for inclined surfaces, walls of buildings, and anywhere with access to the sky. It can even be used as an electric car charging station.

By using a high-efficiency multi-junction cell, Broessel’s company claims to have reduced the cell surface down to 1% compared to the same power output as a conventional silicon cell in optimal conditions.

“In combination with dual axis tracking, our system generates twice the yield of a conventional panel. In addition, our smaller cell area has a lower carbon footprint because its production requires fewer precious semiconductor or other building materials,” he says on the company website.

Rawlemon has also introduced a USB spherical sun charger called beta.ey.

9. Ways to boost solar power

A group of scientists at the University of Toronto have unveiled a new type of light-sensitive nanoparticles called colloidal quantum dots, which many believe will offer a less expensive and more flexible material for solar cells. Specifically, the new materials use n-type and p-type semiconductors, but ones that can actually function outdoors. This is possible because the new colloidal quantum dots don’t bind to air (unlike traditional n-type materials that bind to oxygen)—a quality that also helps increase radiant light absorption besides offering stability outdoors. The researchers claim that panels using this new technology were found to be up to 8% more efficient at converting sunlight.

Researchers at Imperial College University in London believe they have discovered a new material—gallium arsenide—that could make solar PV systems nearly three times more efficient than existing products on the market. The solar cells are called “triple junction cells” and they are much more efficient because they can be chemically altered in a manner that optimizes sunlight capture. The model uses a sensor-driven window blind that can track sun light along with “light-pipes” that guide the light into the system.

A company called Novatec Solar recently commissioned an energy storage solution for solar PV systems using a molten salt storage technology. The process uses inorganic salts to transfer energy generated by solar PV systems into solar thermal using heat transfer fluid rather than oils as some storage systems have. The result is that solar plants can operate at temperatures over 500 degree Celsius, which would result in a much higher power output. This means that costs to store solar power would be lowered significantly and utility companies could finally use solar power plants as base load plants rather than to meet peak demand during prime daylight hours.

In a project funded by the US department of energy, Ohio State University researchers recently announced they created a battery that is 20% more efficient and 25% cheaper than anything on the market today. The secret to the design is that the rechargeable battery is built into the solar panel itself, rather than operating as two stand-alone systems. By conjoining the two into one system, scientists said they could lower costs by 25% compared to existing products.

Scientists are exploring ways to actually line up highways and roads with solar panels, which would then be used to deploy large amounts of electricity to the grid. Called solar roadways, they have already popped up in countries such as the Netherlands and promise to save on land space.

10. Concentrated PV cells

IBM researchers have found a way to make concentrated PV cells that are more efficient in converting the sun’s energy into electricity. The researchers have shown that it is possible to increase the concentration of light on photovoltaic cells by about 10 times without causing them to melt. This, they say, makes it possible to boost the amount of usable electrical energy produced by up to five times.

The principle behind concentrated PV cells is to use a large lens to focus light onto a relatively small piece of PV semiconductor material. The benefit is that only a fraction of the semiconductor material is used, thereby reducing costs. IBM’s solution is to place an ultrathin layer of liquid metal, a compound of gallium and indium, between the two surfaces. The metal has a very high thermal conductivity and because it’s a liquid, it is possible to make this layer extremely thin, typically around 10 micrometers.

IBM is in talks with solar-cell companies about licensing the technology. Last September, Swiss-based Airlight Energy said it has partnered with IBM to bring affordable solar technology to the market by 2017.

The system can concentrate the sun’s radiation 2,000 times and convert 80% of it into useful energy to generate 12kW of electrical power and 20kW of heat on a sunny day—enough to power several average homes. 

Ebonyi seeks partnership with Chinese firm on solar power, others

The Ebonyi State Government has sought partnership with a Chinese firm, CAMC Engineering Company Limited, in the areas of power among others. Governor David Umahi, while receiving a delegation from UNIDO and CAMCE at the Governor’s Lodge in Abakaliki, during the week, said he sought the partnership to develop the state, The Punch reports.

Umahi told the Chinese company, led by the Director-General, Yu Tao, that his administration would be delighted if they could build a 10MW solar plant in the state. The governor said, “We will like if we can get between 5MW and 10MW solar plant to light up the streets in our towns. This is very important to us because we need to extend business hours and check crimes in the state.”

While describing Chinese investors as reliable and dependable, he praised the UNIDO for being another strong development partner assisting the state in various sectors like rice mills, Information and Communications Technology and provision of medical solar lamps.

Osinbajo: Dangote Subsea Gas Pipeline’ll Help Nigeria Tackle Electricity Problem

R-L: Chairman, Forte Oil Plc., Mr. Femi Otedola; Lagos State Governor, akinwunmi ambode; Vice President yemi Osinbajo; President, dangote Group, alhaji aliko dangote; and Group Executive director, dangote Projects, Mr. devarcoma Edwin, during the Vice President’s inspection visit to the dangote Refinery at Lekki Free Trade Zone,

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the ongoing sub-sea gas pipeline project by the Dangote Group which will supply three billion cubic feet of gas daily had the potential of solving the problem of electricity shortage which had plagued the nation for decades. Speaking when he paid a working visit to the Dangote’s ongoing $17 billion Gas pipeline, fertiliser, petrochemicals and refineries project at the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), said the investment as a whole was an incredible industrial project being the largest and the most ambitious in Africa and possibly the entire world. 

Addressing journalists after a two-hour presentation on the entire project, Osinbajo said the gas pipeline project “is meant to supply 3 billion cubic of gas daily to Lagos and its axis. It will largely address power outage. That is huge when compared with our current requirement, it is about 2 billion cubic of gas daily.

“If it can be done, it is a major asset for Nigeria. It will boost our gas supply tremendously. For me, that is the most important project that could be done in this country. It will be a major boost for industrial development.”
He explained that the sub-sea installation, estimated at N500 billion, would go all the way from Bonny in Rivers State through Ogedegbe, Olokola to Lekki and Escravos Lagos pipeline and then West Africa Gas Pipeline.

In terms of security, Osinbajo said the pipeline “is secure. The pipeline is installed under the sea. It is a subsea project. It is fortified and goes into the sea. It is not what anybody can go there and vandalise with the way it is designed. It is designed to prevent vandalisation. It is designed very deep into the sea.”

Noting that the project would boost power supply tremendously, he said on completion it would be a major strategic asset for Nigeria.
Commenting on the refinery, he said: “It is meant to refine 650,000 barrels per day. By all projection, it is the largest in the world. It has a petro-chemical plant. It also has fertilizer plant, which is projected to be the largest in the world.”

Speaking further, he said, “The refinery will take off in the first quarter of 2019. I think the sub-sea gas pipeline, which is very important project, is meant to take off in 2018. The gas pipeline project there. It is an incredible industrial undertaking. It is possibly the largest and the most ambitious on the continent today. It is truly inspiring to see.”
In his remarks, President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said the decision to site the projects in Lagos was due to the investment friendly climate in the state.

“Lagos is one states that is very investor friendly and the governor himself has always been asking, what are the issues, and he normally put in place steps to resolve those issues immediately,” he said.

Dangote said the Gas Pipeline Project would guarantee uninterrupted power supply in Lagos on completion, which he said would also positively increase the State’s Gross Domestic Project (GDP).

Dangote further said the projects would also attract other bigger investors into the Zone.
He also said the projects would benefit the local communities as at least 65 per cent of people in the catchment area would be employed, while over 1,000 would be trained.
“Our target is that in the next five years or so from now, we hope and we believe that half of Nigeria’s crude will be refined and exported rather than just exporting crude to go and create jobs elsewhere,” Dangote said.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, while commenting on the investment, said the refinery, petrochemical, gas and fertiliser projects being undertaken by Africa’s richest man, Dangote, in Lagos, would significantly boost the economy of the state and Nigeria in general.
According to Ambode, “First, there is a refinery project that is ongoing, second there is a petrochemical project that is also ongoing. There is pipeline transfer project that brings gas from Bonny down to Olokola and down to Lekki and then the fourth one is the fertiliser project all in one location.”

He said the projects would also be critical to the economic growth of the Lagos East and West Senatorial Districts, which according to him, will be open to massive investment opportunities on completion.

On the working visit with the vice president were the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Works, Power & Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo among others.

Nigeria interested in Czech power technology on biomass, coal others

Czech Agriculture Minister Marian Jurečka is heading a Czech business delegation to Nigeria with the aim of further developing political and economic relations. His talks with top officials in Abuja revealed potential for cooperation in the field of energy, Radio Praha reports.

Czech firms are offering their goods at highly competitive prices and Nigeria is particularly interested in using Czech technology and knowhow in the field of energy production. The capital Abuja has power failures as many as three times a day and the Nigerian Energy Ministry is interested in various forms of power production – coal plants, solar plants, hydropower plants and biomass power production.

Energy Minister Babatunde Fashola said:

“In the ministry of power our road map is to first get incremental power – we do not have enough power as a country, so the short-term plan is to get incremental power, build on to steady power and then go on to uninterrupted power. So, in that context, every unit of electricity that we can put onto the grid is important. Farmers are very important to us and we must give them energy, we must give them roads so that they can move their produce to the market, we must give them energy so they can preserve what they produce. So that is the context in which your minister and I have been talking about biomass power production where they can use all sorts of farm produce to generate their own power. It is an opportunity that I believe we will explore.”

Minister Jurečka will also take part in a Czech-Nigerian Business Seminar in Abuja and discuss with Nigerian officials on Czech plans to set up a Czech Trade office in Lagos.

Solar energy-powered tricycle, bus on demo run in Baguio City

If this works out, the level of air pollution in Baguio City will definitely be lessened.

The Baguio City local government is now exploring options that would enable them to use solar energy.

In this light, Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan has allowed non-government organization Glad to be Green to test the solar energy-powered tricycle and solar energy-powered bus crafted the Australian company Star8. The solar energy-powered vehicles are currently in a two-month demo run in the city.

"The Solar Tricycle (price: US$2,000) seats 10 passengers and is driven exactly like a regular tricycle. The Solar Bus (price: $20,000), meanwhile, can accommodate up to 20 passengers," reports Mae Cornes on ABS-CBNnews.com.

Yacov Maimon of Star8 explained: "Unlike other solar technology, this does not need to be in direct sunlight; as long as there is light from the sun, it will charge."

NESG says renewable energy critical to tackling power shortages

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and other stakeholders have stressed the need for increased renewable energy in the nation’s power generation mix and also called for a consensus on the right energy mix for the country and the implementation of the renewable energy policy, The Punch reports.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ roundtable conference organised by the NESG on Wednesday in Lagos, the Chairman of the Board, NESG, Mr. Kyari Bukar, noted that gas-fired plants currently accounted for 64% of Nigeria’s electricity supply, adding that huge investments that were presently unavailable would be needed in gas infrastructure to meet current and future projected demands. He therefore said there was an urgent need to agree on and implement the appropriate total energy mix for the next few years.

Research Co-ordinator for Energy and Climate Policy, Oeko Institut, Dr. Felix Matthes, while sharing the German experience, said Germany had been able to significantly increase the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power from 10% in its energy mix to 30% between 2005 and 2015 through on-grid and off-grid generation.

The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, who was represented by Dr. Peter Tarfa of the Climate Change Department, said part of the focus of the ministry was to tackle climate change, adding that while it was strongly in support of renewable energy in the form of solar or even gas, it still had a lot of reservations on the use of coal in the energy mix.

Solar-powered Plane Lands in Spain

An airplane powered entirely by the sun landed in Seville, Spain early Thursday after a 71-hour journey across the Atlantic from New York.

The one-seat Solar Impulse 2 took off from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport early Monday morning on the 15th leg of its journey around the world.

The solar-powered plane was piloted on this leg of its around-the-world journey by Swiss aviator Bertrand Piccard, cruising at an average speed of 70 kilometers an hour.

The carbon fiber Solar Impulse 2 has a 72-meter wingspan, which is longer than the wingspan of a Boeing 747 and weighs about as much as an automobile. The 17,000 solar cells built into the wings harness the sun's energy and charge onboard batteries.

Piccard's compatriot and business partner Andre Borschberg will pilot the final leg of the trip from Seville to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where the trip began in March of 2015.

We’ll complete 700MW hydropower plants soon – Fashola

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said that the Federal Government is increasingly looking to alternative sources such as coal, solar and biomass for power generation in a bid to achieve national energy security.

He said the 700-megawatts Zungeru hydropower project would soon be completed, adding that construction of the 3,000MW Mambilla hydropower plant would commence shortly.

Fashola, who spoke at an annual lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Electrical and Electrics Engineers in Lagos on Thursday, noted that the nation had over the years relied heavily on natural gas for power generation.

The nation’s power generation and supply have dropped significantly in recent months on the back of the resurgence of militant attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta.

Fashola said, “Our vulnerability to gas has become apparent to the development that we are seeing. And so, one of the things that the energy mix will do is not just taking power plants closer to fuel sources, but to also help in achieving national energy security. So, we are going beyond solar to coal and to a lot of hydro.

“We will soon finish hydro power plants like Zungeru and start the biggest hydro power project, the Mambilla, which will give us in one place about 3,000 megawatts. We are finalising the procurement now.

“We will use biomass because there is a sugar processing plant and sugarcane plantation somewhere in Adamawa, and we are talking to the proprietors to see how we can use some of that also for producing energy.”

Beyond power generation, the minister said it was important to engage electricity consumers on the demand side management, also known as energy conservation.

The minister added, “Beyond all of this generation of power, what is important is the demand side management, which we have come here to talk about, which is energy conservation. There is capacity to conserve between 1,000MW and 2,000MW by actions that all of us should take in our homes, in our offices, the way we build, the way we use energy.

“We have seen that air-conditioning and kitchen equipment constitute the largest consumer of power. So, how we build our houses, how we use less of air-conditioning, how we air our homes using nature, more wind, working with our architects, how we shape and situate the angle of our house so that we conserve less energy, how we use less water by being efficient in conserving water to transfer energy to cost.”

Government introduces new building code for efficient use of electricity

‘130 million Nigerians are generating power individually’
• Power generation slumps to 55.5MW

Nigeria may be considering another code for construction of buildings to favour efficient utilisation of electricity as power generation in the country remains at a very low level.

Figures from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) showed power output slumped to 55.5mega watts (MW) yesterday.The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who spoke at the 13th Distinguished Electrical and Electronics Engineers Annual Lecture (DEEEAL) in Lagos yesterday, said Nigerians need to adopt more efficient ways of using energy, even as generation remains low.

Fashola said his ministry was drawing up another building code as new guideline for electrical and construction engineers to promote electricity efficiency in the country.

He said the new code would promote the usage of glass buildings to use day light illumination, artificial lightings, more widows and use materials that are capable of keeping the building cool when the weather is hot.

According to him, these can help the nation conserve between 1000MW and 2000MW, which is about 20 per cent of the 5000MW capacity.He noted that the Federal Government was vigorously pursuing the power roadmap and working to ensure that the Mambilla hydro power plant is completed to the benefit of Nigerians.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), Oladele Amoda, enjoined the nation to adopt renewable alternatives to power generation.

He said: “The fossil fuels that we have in the country is exhaustible, and it would take another 30 million years to replenish, hence we have to look at renewable alternatives to generating power,”

According to him, about 81 per cent of the national population or 130 million Nigerians generate electricity through alternative sources to compensate for irregular power supply.

He said the World Bank’s estimate Nigeria’s electricity consumption per capital at 155 kwh , adjudged to be the lowest in Africa was considered to be conservative estimates because it did not capture self generation, which is practised by most of the citizenry.

Amoda lamented that the 8.5 million consumers are demanding more than the current installed capacity, which leads to longer hours of load shedding while prolonged energy deficit in Nigeria has stifled all meaningful economic development in the country.

He linked the reasons for shortage in electric power to faulty planning; delay in construction of power projects; poor utilisation of generating equipment; plant outages due to weak transmission network and poor utilisation of equipments, among others.

He therefore suggested that the techniques of Demand Side Management (DSM) should be borrowed in Nigeria as a means to mitigate the demand-supply gap in the country.

Denham Capital, a leading global energy-focused private equity firm, and GreenWish Partners, a renewable energy investment company dedicated to sub-Saharan Africa, today announced a partnership to develop, build and finance a portfolio of 600 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy assets across sub-Saharan Africa by 2020. The capital commitment will allow the African renewables platform to carry out a USD$1 billion project pipeline.

Charlotte Aubin-Kalaidjian, CEO of GreenWish, said, “We look forward to partnering with Denham for this expansion phase of GreenWish in sub-Saharan Africa. Independent power producers such as GreenWish are a key solution to the African electricity gap that requires more than $40 billion in annual investments. Our strategic partnership with Denham gives us the means and scale to carry out our ambition and mission for a competitive and sustainable electrification of Africa.”

GreenWish was founded by Aubin-Kalaidjian in 2010, whose 20 years of experience includes renewable energy investment work with the company and in investment banking at Morgan Stanley, and Gilles Parmentier, who spent a decade in the energy infrastructure sector, including with the World Bank and Macquarie. Together, the two founders have successfully structured over 20 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy projects and funded over $10 billion in projects.

Last February, GreenWish launched the construction of the Senergy II project, the largest solar independent power producer project being built in sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with French construction group Vinci. The 20 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic plant (PV) is located in Bokhol, next to Senegal’s border with Mauritania and will be completed in October 2016, providing electricity access to over 180,000 Senegalese. With Denham’s backing, the company aims to build on this first success and provide power capacity to other parts of the continent.

“We focus on countries where renewable energy projects offer a competitive solution to the power gap, without subsidies,” explained Parmentier, Chief Investment Officer at GreenWish. “GreenWish is looking at both on and off-grid projects in a number of countries and aims at offering B2B solar hybrid solutions to energy intensive industries, including telecom operators, mining and commercial off-takers.”

“It’s rare to find a management team that has the experience developing power projects in sub-Saharan Africa Charlotte, Gilles and the rest of the GreenWish team possesses,” shared Scott Mackin, Managing Partner and Co-President at Denham Capital. “While they have an ambitious goal, we are confident they will be able to deliver cost-competitive and much-needed power generation resources to the region because of their strong sense of personal commitment to the effort and their track record.”

More than 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. Total African power generation capacity is limited to 90 GW while the continent enjoys on average 300 sunny days per year. Solar energy is a solution to Africa’s electricity shortage that is both competitive and clean with a short time to market. Excluding South Africa, average annual consumption is around 162 kWh per capita, a fraction of the global average of 7,000 kWh. Energy-sector bottlenecks and power shortages cost the region 2-4 percent of GDP annually, undermining sustainable economic growth, jobs and investment.

Jens Thomassen, Director at Denham Capital, concluded, “Sub-Saharan Africa is the most underserved power region in the world, but with a tremendous potential. The biggest constraint we see is human capital. In GreenWish, we have found a proven management team that can build power plants in a local setting and to an international standard. GreenWish is a prime example of a team that possesses the network and know-how to provide development opportunities. They are built to thrive in this evolving environment and we’re excited about the opportunities ahead for them”.

Dear Customer,

Today we received an average load allocation of 163MW from TCN. Due to this abysmal allocation we will have to embark on load shedding in various locations across our network. Kindly bear with us. Thank you for your understanding.

NERC to sanction Discos from October over poor metering

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed Distribution Companies (Discos) to provide meters for maximum demand electricity customers before the end of 2016, Daily Trustreports.

The commission said that all Discos that fail to provide meters for all maximum demand customers on their networks not later than the last quarter of this year will be sanctioned. Maximum demand electricity customers are those connected on the 11Kv (high tension wire), with most of them having their dedicated transformer.

A statement issued by Dr Usman Abba Arabi, the public affairs head of the commission, yesterday, said the directive was sequel to the rising complaints from all categories of electricity customers over estimated bills they considered irreconcilable with the available power supply. It said Dr Anthony Akah, the acting chairman, said the Discos must meter all such customers under the Credit Advance Payment for Metering Initiative (CAPMI) or face sanctions.

FG, North South Power Company to partner on hydro power

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu on Wednesday said that the Federal Government is partnering the North South Power Company Ltd., in the development of existing dams for power generation, Vanguard reports.

Adamu said “The ministry is thinking toward that direction of partnership with the private sector in the development of the new and existing infrastructure in the sector for the small hydro power schemes’’. He added that the ministry in partnership with the Ministry of Power had set up a steering committee on the concession of small hydro power schemes for adequate power generation. According to him, the committee will come up with regulations and information that would attract would-be investors into the sector.

The Chairman of the company, Malam Ibrahim Aliyu said the partnership would be targeted toward building of powerhouses and installing electro-mechanical components to generate power from some of the dams. He said the 30megawatt Gurara 1 Hydropower plant in Kaduna, 10mw Tiga dam Hydro Power plant in Kano, 10mw Oyan dam Hydro Power plant in Ogun, have been identified to be used in power generation. Others are the 8mw Challawa dam Hydro Power plant in Kano and 6mw Ikere dam Hydro Power plant in Oyo state.

FG, North South Power Company to partner on hydro power

The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu on Wednesday said that the Federal Government is partnering the North South Power Company Ltd., in the development of existing dams for power generation, Vanguard reports.

Adamu said “The ministry is thinking toward that direction of partnership with the private sector in the development of the new and existing infrastructure in the sector for the small hydro power schemes’’. He added that the ministry in partnership with the Ministry of Power had set up a steering committee on the concession of small hydro power schemes for adequate power generation. According to him, the committee will come up with regulations and information that would attract would-be investors into the sector.

The Chairman of the company, Malam Ibrahim Aliyu said the partnership would be targeted toward building of powerhouses and installing electro-mechanical components to generate power from some of the dams. He said the 30megawatt Gurara 1 Hydropower plant in Kaduna, 10mw Tiga dam Hydro Power plant in Kano, 10mw Oyan dam Hydro Power plant in Ogun, have been identified to be used in power generation. Others are the 8mw Challawa dam Hydro Power plant in Kano and 6mw Ikere dam Hydro Power plant in Oyo state.

Sokoto govt signs MoU with Chinese firm on 100mw solar plant

The Secretary to the Sokoto State Government (SSG), Prof. Bashir Garba, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of the state with a Chinese firm, Kunming Engineering Corporation, to establish a 100-megawatt solar-powered plant in the state, NAN/Leadership reports.

Garba signed on behalf of the state government, while the Assistant Managing Director for Overseas Business of the company, Qui Haisheng, signed for the firm. Garba said that the power that would be generated by the proposed plant would among other benefits, boost small and medium-scale ventures in the state.

The SSG added that when completed, “this project will complement the State Independent Power Project currently in place”. ”We are confident that the two projects will ensure tremendous improvement in power supply in Sokoto”. He said that the project would be private-sector driven, and that the state government had agreed to provide land and other incentives.

GE to exploit coal for power generation in Nasarawa

American energy giant, General Electric, is set to exploit the vast coal deposits in Nasarawa State for the purpose of generating electricity for home and industrial use, Leadership reports.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura who disclosed this in Lafia, the state capital, said talks with the leading energy outfit had reached an advanced stage and work is expected to commence as soon as issues bordering on solid minerals exploration are adequately tackled.

He said the facility, when fully operational, is expected to generate 200 megawatts of electricity,  adding that the initiative is in partnership with resident industries such as West Africa’s largest rice farm, Olam Nig. Ltd. He added that the move became necessary in view of the current challenges of electricity generation which depends majorly on gas and the need to diversify the economy through solid minerals exploration.

Sapele power plant to generate 1,500mw soon

The new management  of Sapele Power Plc, during an open forum with stakeholders and host-communities in Delta State, unveiled plans to boost power supply in the country by generating 1,500 megawatts (mw) to the national grid, The Guardian reports.

The Sapele power plant, acquired in 2014 by Eurafric Power Limited, is said to be the second biggest power plant in Nigeria by installed capacity. It was commissioned in 1978 with an installed capacity of 1,000mw but is producing only 120mw today.

According to the Managing Director of Sapele Power Plc (Downstream), Odjegba Onoriode; the plant’s revival would be done in phases. He also added that the management intended to generate 1,500mw within five years and had also finalised plan to acquire a new gas turbine, which would be used to replant one of the non-functional turbines. This will give an additional 145mw within a period of nine months.

Expert calls on FG to diversify electricity mix as attacks ground power sector

Nigeria generates most of its electricity from gas-fired power plants and in what was a big blow to electricity generation in the country, Shell’s Forcados export terminal was hit in February, forcing the oil major to declare force majeure. As militant attacks gained more momentum in May, power generation plunged to a new low of 1,400MW on May 17, according to the TCN. As such, an expert has suggested the need for the government to diversify the power generation mix, The Punch reports.

Energy expert at Banwo & Ighodalo law firm, Ayodele Oni, said, “We need to have a more robust energy mix. We have said it several times. States such as Kaduna, Abuja and even Lagos should promote solar power. There is so much renewable energy potential in Nigeria. “We can also have embedded power plants. These are power plants closer to the load centres and they can also use alternative sources of energy like solar and wind instead of gas.”

Power firms can also depend less on the natural gas pipelines by using the LNG and CNG to fuel their power plants he noted. The Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Egbin Power Plc, Dallas Peavey Jr, in May, said the company would build an LNG terminal in a bid to solve its supply woes, adding that plans to boost Egbin’s capacity by between 1,575MW and 1,900MW were now on hold.

BoI commissions 24kw off-grid solar project in Kaduna

The Bank of Industry (BoI) has commissioned a 24kw micro-grid solar system in Charwa/Chakun, an off-grid community in Markafi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Vanguard reports.

The commissioning of the N32 million stand-alone solar electrification project developed by Arnergy Solar Limited, was the last of the six pilot programmes executed by the development finance institution, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Apart from Charwa/Chakun, other communities where the solar systems had been deployed include:Bisanti, in Katcha LGA of Niger State, Onibambu in Ife-North LGA of Osun State, Ogbekpen, Ikpoba, in Okha LGA, of Edo State,  Onono, Anambra West LGA, of Anambra State and Kaltungo LGA of Gombe State.

The six rural electrification projects, which are a combination of micro off-grid and stand-alone solar systems, cost BoI N240.6 million and the target is to provide electricity to thousands of rural dwellers who hitherto have no access to the national grid.