Melford Ita
7 August 2007
opinion
Lagos — Solar electric power systems are an effective energy conservation programme because they conserve costly conventional power for urban areas and town market centres including industrial, commercial and private uses. This will allow for decentralised solar generated power for lighting and satisfying basic electrical needs.
Solar technology applications are not being widely exploited and as such, many people have been left out of the development loop. Fortunately, through the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF), the European Commission is committed to a meaningful partnership with emergent and transition countries.
In Nigeria, epileptic and inadequate public electricity power supply coupled with rising fuel and maintenance costs for generators is stifling socio-economic growth. Unable to cope, many people; notably the least empowered groups are facing a bleak future. Today, the cost of 1 litre of diesel fuel or kerosene is beyond what many can afford.
Solar electric power systems can be part of the solution but problem solving requires the sharing of accurate information, which will enable technocrats deliver practical solutions. Moreover, in the event that specialist equipment, personnel or facilities are required, suppliers must have surety of payment; this is a sensitive issue in that suppliers are risk averse entering new markets, particularly where they have no previous representation.
In Nigeria, malaria remains the number one killer, exceeding HIV-AIDS. Mosquitoes spread malaria but with a reliable source of electricity, wind generated by the turning blades of a ceiling or standing fan can blow mosquitoes away. Whereas solar electric light is entirely safe, the haphazard storage of kerosene, diesel and petrol for lamps and generators has led to fires killing and maiming many people annually.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is globally driven. By taking into account local peculiarities and stakeholder expectations, CSR seeks to define and encourage acceptable corporate behaviour. Owing to its multifarious influence on socio-economic development and world peace, social responsibility has assumed global interest. Yet, due to the lack of structured administrative governance and due process, issues requiring social responsibility interventions are enormous in many emergent nations.
The Global System for Mobile Communications, popularly known as GSM is responsible for phenomenal increase in Nigeria's telephone density - making it Africa's largest and fastest growing telecommunications market by 98%.
At a recently convened public hearing by the House of Representatives Ad HoC Committee on GSM services, issues surrounding Quality of Service (QoS) were well articulated by Celtel Nigeria. Given an environment of grossly inadequate and epileptic public electricity supply, the GSM service provider had resorted to installing over 3,000 generators; each consuming 200,000 litres of diesel daily (73 million litres annually).
Besides over 200,000 litres of diesel fuel being stolen - mostly at Base Station Controllers (BSCs), between January and June this year, 120 or more generators were vandalised or stolen.
Further reference was made to problems associated with call set-up, completion, call-drop, voice quality, processing of requests, top-up, balance enquiry etc., which in the most part are directly and indirectly traceable to inadequate electricity power supply. Regarding service disruptions, power failure alone constituted 78%, with transmission, miscellaneous, maintenance and equipment failure constituting the rest of outages.
The Ministry of Communications (MoC) needs to vigorously drive the Joint Economic Development (JED) and the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) agenda for improvements to the operating environment and overall success of the telecommunications sector in order to ensure delivery of world class QoS to the Nigerian public.
Rural communities show signs of very low power consumption, therefore carefully worked out solar applications would significantly improve livelihoods therein.
In a riverine area for example, over 100 electric pylons will have to be sunk to connect such an area to the national grid. Best practice dictates that costs associated with sinking one electric pylon can be applied towards providing solar electric power for nearly 100 standard homes.
Solar electric power systems are an effective energy conservation programme because they conserve costly conventional power for urban areas and town market centres including industrial, commercial and private uses.
Literacy rates can also be improved, i.e. when dark, people can read more easily than they can by candle or lamplight. Schoolwork improves and eyesight is safeguarded when children study by electric light. Education classes and adult literacy programmes can also be held in the evenings. In terms of television and radio, people previously cut off from electronic information, education and entertainment can be part of the modern world without leaving their homes. Regarding wireless communications, solar technology can facilitate the introduction of rural telephony and data communication services to remote areas.
In the 2005 World Migration Report, Africa remains the only continent facing all of the classical obstacles to successful development. One of the obstacles the report states is 'brain drain', which has continued steadily since the period of independence. 'Brain drain', the report says, is depriving African countries of a very significant part of their skilled human resources, which they have trained at considerable costs.
By nature, Nigerians are hardworking and stoic but with the capacity to cope diminished, many are migrating to cities, and foreign nations. The poignant question is why? One adage posits that a toad does not run in the daytime for nothing; either it is pursuing something or something is pursuing it.
This adage allows for a conceivable deduction that the disaffected groups are fleeing debilitating conditions directly or indirectly linked to inadequate and epileptic public electricity power supply.
Indeed the targets pose a challenge, some particularly so. Nevertheless, given the right policies, actions and resources, the targets are achievable. Solar technology provides the least-cost means of receiving high quality electricity and lighting. The time to act is now!
Ita, an energy consultant, wrote in from Lagos
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