NIGERIA'S FIRST RENEWABLE ENERGY MODEL VILLAGE COMMISSIONED

For those who think the Northern part of Nigeria is backward, well you might want to have a rethink. History was made on Monday 25th November 2012 when the first renewable Energy Model Village was commissioned in Danjawa, Wammako Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Speaking at the epoch making event, the Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) Professor Abubakar Sambo who was represented by Professor Idris Bugaje, maintained that the absence of sustainable supplies of energy in rural communities was responsible for the marginalization of rural dwellers.

According to him, 80 percent of the rural dwellers lack access to sufficient energy, which has made life difficult for them. He said most of people in the rural area depend on wood for energy which is not environmentally friendly and causes global warming. The Director General stressed the need for the development of bio-fuel industry in rural areas to further boost their economies.

Also speaking at the event, Director of Sokoto Energy research centre, Professor Bashir Danshehu stressed that the access to energy is critical to poverty alleviation, hence the need for the development of renewable energy sources.

The system which was designed to provide the energy needs of over 1000 inhabitants has a 10 KW PV plant with necessary battery storage system; a 500-litre header riser type solar water, 3KW wind turbine, 100 kilogramme solar dryers amongst others. The 15 KW integrated system was implemented for scientific applications such as water heating, solar water pumping and cooking purposes.

In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, Professor Riskuwa Shehu described the improvement of energy resources to secure the power need of the country as welcome development. This is just the beginning of the much desired transformation in the power sector.