By Ralph Christopher with Agency Reports
Federal Government has commended University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for building a 500kva Refuse-Derived-Fuel Gasification plant that will will help address electricity challenges in the country.
Minister of State for Power, Mr Goddy Jedy Agba, made the commendation In Nsukka when he paid a working visit to the university to the plant himself and how it works.
Agba said he was impressed with the innovation by the university to produce a gas plant that use organic refuse to generate electricity.
“Federal government will key-in into the project and ensure massive production since it will help to boost electricity supply not only in UNN but entire country.
“I am in UNN to see things for myself so that when I will present the proposal to Federal Executive Council on this I will be talking convincenly and with confidence,” he said.
The Minister explained that government’s investment in alternative energy was to boost electricity supply as well as reduce the dependence on hydro-power.
”Its great that Indigenous engineers and scientist were coming up with inventions and ideas to boost the efforts of government.
“I was not trying to impress the Vice Chancellor when I said that I’m impressed with what I’ve seen here,. UNN has always set the pace for others,” he said.
The minister commended Prof Emineke Ejiogu, led research team of the Faculty of Engineering UNN for setting a new record in electricity supply that would go a long way to compliment government efforts towards achieving steady electricity supply in the country.
The minister promised that his ministry would list UNN among beneficiaries of Energizing Education Programme in second phrase.
“We’re about starting the second phase. I will do my best to see that UNN is one of the universities that will benefit in the second phase.
In a remark, the Head of the research team, Prof. Emineke Ejiogu said that the plant was designed and facilitated by the University‘s Laboratory of Industrial Electronics, Power Devices, and New Energy Systems (LIEPNES).
Ejiogu said the plant was capable of reducing diesel consumption by 60 percent, he disclosed that the team with the support of the university, was already working on expanding the plant from 500kva to 1mega watts.
Ealier, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Charles Igwe commended the Minister for the visit and willingness to support the university to develop the innovation.
The Vice Chancellor however, appealed to the Federal Government to design a special electricity billing regime for universities and other tertiary institutions in the country.
“We want to appeal to the federal government to design a special billing system for us.
“UNN is billed between N70m and N80m as monthly electricity bill by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
“That is why UNN is happy and excited with the 500kva refuse gas plant build by Ejiogu and his research team, which will go along way to solve the problem of power supply in UNN and entire country.
“By the time more of the plants are produced that will cover every part of the university, millions of naira will be saved every month, as UNN will longer pay N80m monthly electricity bill to EEDC,” he said.
It be would recalled that in March 19, 2019, UNN through Prof Ejiogu led reserch team set a new record of electricity generation in the country by using organic waste to install 100KV Refuse Drived Fuel (RDF) gasification plant in Nsukka Campus.
The Japan trained engineer and his team had installed a 500KV capacity of that plant that would supply electricity to the administrative building of UNN. (NAN)
1 comment
Prof. Ejiogu from waste to energy to electric car to sundry other inventions as well as improvements on each delivered project has made an indelible mark in proffering solutions than suggestions to the nations quest for technological advancement. I highly congratulate his team and wish them FORWAD EVER √