RENEWABLE ENERGY, Govt Involvement Critical For National Development

By Urube Peter

“The importance of renewable energy to national development can not be over emphasize”
This is part of the stakeholders resolution at this year 34th International Conference/ Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria institution of mechanical engineers, tagged: Harmonization and Optimisation of Nigeria’s Energy Potentials for
Sustainable Development held in Abuja the Nation Capital.

According to Engineer Benson Abounu, deputy governor of Benue State, in an interview says Nigeria’s has all the natural resources requirements for the energy resources needed any where in the world including manpower resources for the utilization of these resources for the development of this nation.
Engr Abuonu says the only thing now is for political leadership to look inwards and begin to enable the Nigeria expertise get on board to do things by themselves rather than depending on other nations like America, China of this world.
He called to mind the event where billion of dollars were expended without adequate results.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Nigeria’s institution of mechanical engineers, professor Mohammed Baba Ndaliman, has said once the infrastructure are provided “we’ll work the talk” adding that already the manpower resources required are available.
He said It’s now left for the government to provides the needed infrastructure, financial support and the policy guidelines. Every sector of economy required engineer services.

Also Engineer professor Baba Danshehu, the coordinating, engineering infrastructure/ national agency for science and engineering infrastructure (NASENI) as a lead paper presenter underscored the importance of Renewable Energy to individuals, organization and government in area of security and economic development.

He said, Renewable Energy is energy sources or processes that are constantly replenished. These include solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, and hydroelectric power.

Where renewable sources are recyclable is clean energy and devoid of pollution like carbon dioxide, on the other hand green energy comes from natural sources.

Renewable energy can said to be clean or green. For example, hydroelectric(Water) sources can damage natural habitats and cause deforestation

A renewable energy source means energy that is sustainable – something that can not run out, or is endless, like the sun. When you hear the term ‘alternative energy’ it’s usually referring to renewable energy sources too. It means sources of energy that are alternative to the most commonly used non-sustainable sources – like coal.

Meanwhile, Nuclear-generated electricity is not renewable but it’s zero-carbon, which means its generation emits low levels or almost no CO2, just like renewable energy sources.

The most commonly renewable energy sources currently used are:
*Solar,
*Wind ,
*Hydro ,
*Tidal ,
*Geothermal ,and
*Biomass energy

How these types of renewable energy work

Solar energy
Sunlight is one of our planet’s most abundant and freely available energy resources. The amount of solar energy that reaches the earth’s surface in one hour is more than the planet’s total energy requirements for a whole year. Although it sounds like a perfect renewable energy source, the amount of solar energy we can use varies according to the time of day and the season of the year as well as geographical location.

Wind energy
Wind is a plentiful source of clean energy. To harness electricity from wind energy, turbines are used to drive generators which then feed electricity into the National Grid. Although domestic or ‘off-grid’ generation systems are available, not every property is suitable for a domestic wind turbine.

Hydro energy
As a renewable energy resource, hydro power is one of the most commercially developed. By building a dam or barrier, a large reservoir can be used to create a controlled flow of water that will drive a turbine, generating electricity. This energy source can often be more reliable than solar or wind power (especially if it’s tidal rather than river) and also allows electricity to be stored for use when demand reaches a peak. Like wind energy, in certain situations hydro can be more viable as a commercial energy source (dependant on type and compared to other sources of energy) but depending very much on the type of property, it can be used for domestic, ‘off-grid’ generation.

Tidal energy
Also promised hydro energy that uses twice-daily tidal currents to drive turbine generators. Although tidal flow unlike some other hydro energy sources isn’t constant, it is highly predictable and can therefore compensate for the periods when the tide current is low.

Geothermal energy

By harnessing the natural heat below the earth’s surface, geothermal energy can be used to heat homes directly or to generate electricity. Although it harnesses a power directly below our feet

Biomass Energy

It’s a conversion of solid fuel made from plant materials into electricity. It Involves burning organic materials to produce electricity, and nowadays this is a much cleaner, more energy-efficient process. By converting agricultural, industrial and domestic workers.

Benefits of Renewable Energy are;
The Supply is constant
It’s zero Carbon Emissions
It’s Cleaner Air and Water.
It’s A Cheaper Form of Electricity.

In his exertion, Danshehu said, renewable energy is the only technology that will give hope to the future generation. Sighted an example of a pilot solar energy installed in Sokoto State for over eleven years ago, and that solar power of such nature can last average of twenty five years. He said human waste can be converted to energy use as well.

Renewable energy can creates new jobs opportunities for the unemployed youths.

Professor Danshehu in conclusion said, this government is doing a lot in diversification of energy in various fronts but needed to do more, with government determination and proper intervention greater performance is achievable.