Kwara signs PPP contract with firm for solar farm tunnels

The governor of Nigeria’s Kwara state, Abdelfatah Ahmed, signed a public private partnership (PPP) contract with Riccofortezza Steven Energy Ltd for a first of its kind Solar Farm Tunnel to be built in Nigeria, Alternative Energy Africa reports.

The project is for four 120KW Solar Farm Tunnels to power a network of roads with 2,000 street lights on a 10 year build, operate, and transfer basis.

The project not only brings light to Kwara, but it enhances security in the state, brings jobs, and boosts business for the state. For Governor Ahmed this is the beginning of a Green State project.

Power Africa adds 30,000 new solar connections in Nigeria – US Envoy

The U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, said in a statement in Abuja on Monday, that the U.S energy project known as “Power Africa’’ has added 30,000 new solar connections in Nigeria, Premium Times reports.

The U.S., through its Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), had in 2016 signed an agreement with Lumos, an off-grid electricity provider to enhance provision of solar electricity to homes and small businesses throughout Nigeria. Lumos was also a recipient of funding through OPIC and the Africa Clean Energy Finance initiative, a partner with the U.S. State Department.

The envoy, accompanied by the Director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission, Michael Harvey, had during a visit to customers of Lumos in Abuja said, “the visit is a fact-finding assessment as USAID works with partners to grow the programme. With market intelligence provided by USAID and financing provided by OPIC, Lumos has added 30,000 new solar connections in Nigeria since the beginning of the partnership.”

NDPHC, Azuri Tech launch solar power project for rural areas

Azuri is delighted to announce a partnership with the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) to launch its PayGo Solar Home Systems in Nigeria, to deliver affordable, clean energy to 20,000 rural households living without electricity.

The Nigerian Government’s ambitious Renewable Energy Policy aims to increase energy production from renewable energy sources from 13% of total electricity generation in 2015, to 23% in 2025 and 36% in 2030. This includes the goal to increase the percentage contribution of solar energy in the total energy mix.

Despite success stories in East Africa, renewable energy has yet to be widely adopted in Nigeria as an alternative power solution. Off-grid communities in Nigeria have relied on kerosene lanterns or candles for their energy needs, with many unable to purchase solar power systems outright owing to the high costs. Solar Home Systems offer an affordable and environmentally friendly option.

Azuri’s PayGo Solar Home systems have the capacity to power four LED bulbs providing up to 8 hours of lighting, a radio and a USB port with charging cables for mobile phones. Customers pay the monthly top-up rate via mobile money for 36 months after which time the unit can be unlocked and the customer owns the unit. It is pertinent to mention that such customers will be provided with options to upgrade to a larger system in what Azuri describes as its energy escalator pathway.

NDPHC is a government-funded initiative formed to add new capacity to Nigeria’s electricity supply system. Azuri’s partnership with NDPHC highlights the Government’s efforts to support roll out of off-grid solar systems and its commitment to renewable technologies as a sustainable way to generate electricity for rural communities.

The deployment of 20,000 Azuri solar home systems is expected to create 500 direct jobs, including solar installer and agents (for a minimum of 24 months) and 5,000 indirect jobs. Small businesses will be able to stay open for longer hours after sunset, students can continue their studies in the evening and off grid families can charge phones or listen to radios in their own home.

Azuri has carried out successful pilots within several communities in Abuja, Kwara and Osun states, installing nearly 200 solar home systems. The positive feedback from customers who have been making monthly payments is an encouraging indication that Nigerians are willing to pay for a reliable, affordable and easy-to-use source of energy.

Following this launch, NDPHC through the project plans to start a phased rollout in northern Nigeria, followed by a nationwide deployment, targeting the 70m Nigerians living in off-grid communities with clean, sustainable and reliable solar home solutions.

Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, said: “Nigeria is committed to improve accessibility to power, especially solar power for the people.”

“Let me state at this point that NDPHC is actively involved in the presidential initiative on rural solar home lighting systems where 20,000 units of solar home systems in under-served rural areas with no access to grid electricity supply is being implemented,” Managing Director of NDPHC, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo said.

“Nigeria’s commitment to increasing its renewable energy mix marks an opportunity for a reliable solar alternative to address the challenges of energy access,” Azuri CEO Simon Bransfield-Garth said. “Azuri is delighted to be working with NDPHC and the Government of Nigeria for solar home systems to meet the immediate power requirements of rural communities.”

France officially opened the first solar power road in the world

The 1km road, made from electricity-generating panels runs through the village of Tourouvre-au-Perche, in Normandy. Developed by Colas over a five-year period, the road, called a ‘wattway’, will power all of the streetlights in the village, and expects to see 2,000 motorists per day. 

One of the issues with solar power is its expense. Marc Jedliczka, vice-president of Network for Energetic Transition, told Le Monde: "It’s without doubt a technical advance, but in order to develop renewables there are other priorities than a gadget of which we are certain that it’s very expensive than the fact it works".

Investing in solar panels depends on the amount of sunshine a country receives, meaning that building them in Spain, for example, might be more cost-effective than in the UK. 

According to Bloomberg, each square metre of the solar road costs €2,500 (£2,168) coming to a grand total of €5 million (£4.3 million) for its entirety. 

There are plans to build more wattways in Calgary, Canada and Georgia, USA.

If the panes prove successful, there are plans to roll them out globally. 

FG to target 2000mw from solar energy – Onu

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu has said that the Federal Government has concluded arrangements to generate at least 2000 megawatts of solar energy, The Sun reports.

Onu, who addressed a World press conference on the outcome of his recent tour to the 7th General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in Abu Dabi, United Arab Emirates and Ethiopia, said out of the 2000 megawatts to be generated this year, 1000 will be off grid while the other 1000mw will be on grid.

He disclosed that the world for the first time spent about $300 billion in 2016 to promote renewable energy, while countries were also increasing percentage of contributions to their energy mix. 

IRENA is an inter-governmental organization involving many countries from all the continents that emphasise the importance of renewable energy.

FG accesses $67m W’Bank loan to develop hydro power dam in Jigawa

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Water Resources, Sen. Ubale Shittu, on Sunday said the Federal Government has accessed a $67m World Bank loan to rehabilitate Hadejia Valley Dam to boost electricity generation in Jigawa State, ecoFIN agency reports.

Shittu told reporters in Dutse that $60m would be used to rehabilitate and expand the dam by 1,000 hectares. He said that the remaining $7m dollars would be spent on dredging of the river from Tiga Dam in Kano State to Koli in Kirikasama Local Government Area of Jigawa.

According to him, the contract for the project would be awarded next month while work is expected to commence by the end of first quarter.

PPP critical to tackling power deficit – Dangote

The President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote yesterday told an audience at the World Economic Forum (WEF) holding in Davos Switzerland that a joint effort between government and private sector to tackle the power deficit remained a key element in boosting the economy of Africa, The Nation reports.

He said part of his $12 billion refinery and petrochemical project in Lagos involved the laying of sub-sea gas pipelines from Niger Delta to Lagos to provide 3 billion cubic feet of gas that can generate 12, 000 mw of electricity. Dangote said government must galvanize the private sector in the provision of stable power in Africa “and that at the end it would be a win-win situation because when power is available a lot of people will put to work and government revenue will also increase.”

According to him, his company also signed a $5 billion collaborative agreement with Blackstone to generate power and added that while the private sector is investing, the role of government would be to provide the operational framework and conducive environment for the investments to thrive. He stated that given the abundance of resources needed to generate power like gas and coal which he said the continent is blessed with, more had to be done to close the power deficit.