Nigeria Energy Dialogue, NED has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to unveil the Methanol Fuel Production Technology to drive the country’s vision for a clean, safe and available energy in line with global net Zero emission targets.
The Executive Director, Nigeria Energy Dialogue, Frank Edozien while describing the technology as a revolutionary one said Methanol was transportable energy that could be used to power industries, homes, rural electrification and household energy with a multiplier effect on the economy through job creation.
“… this will get our people to work, as many people as need accessible energy. The beauty of it is we are talking about technology that is there, built on Brass Methanol and numerous methanol projects accross the country. We don’t see this as an alternative, it becomes the main source of energy because it is green and it is accessible and the more it is deployed, the cheaper it becomes until it gets to compare and better current cost of energy.”
Nigeria Energy Dialogue
He explained that technology converts gas to methanol and methanol to hydrogen which is delivered as hydrogen fuel cells for multiple uses across the energy space in Nigeria.
This is coming at a time Nigeria is almost completing the construction of Brass Methanol plant, and in partnership with Sun Hydro Energy Limited and Clean Energy Resources will convert Methanol to hydrogen with the technology offered by both companies.
Edozien further assuaged the fears that the innovation would be an expensive technology when compared with the current cost Nigerians are spending on servicing generator sets.
“It would be affordable but more importantly, we are talking clean energy for Nigeria,” he said.
Dr. Peter Ekweozoh MNI, Director in charge of the implementation of the Methanol value chain in Nigeria, speaking on the importance of the unveiled project, said that the Methanol Fuel technology implementation would enable Nigeria meet its obligation under the Paris agreement in what was submitted as the nationally determined contribution, which amongst other things pledge to reduce global warming in various sectors of the economy by reducing hydrocarbon emission footprints.
“... what this technology will help do, it will improve our transportation system there will be no warming because we are going to use hydrogen fuel cells or Methanol which very has low carbon footprints to drive vehicles when it is fully adopted by Nigerians,” he stated.
Methanol to Produce 40 Million Jobs
Ekweozoh disclosed that 40 million jobs will be generated in two years from the Methanol production value chain, generate cheap,quality,affordable, clean and trusted energy to power the rural areas in Nigeria.
It would also safeguard the lives of Nigerian women by providing modern energy cooking system via Methanol cooking stove to reduce pulmonary disease arising from smoke pollution in the kitchen and mainstream the economy in all sectors seamlessly to achieve the nationally determined contribution.
He said that though the innovation is private sector driven, government has provided an enabling environment, produced a policy document, a strategic implementation plan and private sector partners like Sun Hydro energy Limited who would collaborate with technology owners to facilitate bringing the innovation into Nigeria to change the consumption mentality of Nigeria to a producing one.
The Programme Director for the Nigeria Energy Dialogue, Dr. Offiong Anyanwu, said NED was a facilitating platform for Leaders and stakeholders in the energy sector to look around the issues in the sector with the objective of ensuring that net zero is achieved.
“...the objective of this partnership with the Ministry on Methanol is to ensure sustained focus on the momentum that has been made on Methanol in Nigeria. The objective is that we end up using Methanol as a cleaner source of fuel for cars, household applications and industries…”
Anyawu emphasised that Methanol is the future of energy, expressing the hope that this achievement of the Buhari led administration would not be set aside by the next Administration since Methanol is already in use in various products across the system.
He said that since technology was not static but progressive, it was imperative that the current Government Builds On the Momentum Methanol hence the slogan, BOOMM.
The Chief Executive Officer, Association, Power Generating companies in Nigeria, Dr Joy Ogaji, while welcoming the innovation expressed confidence that the revolutionary move would lead to possible cheaper fuel to power generation companies in Nigeria.
“… if this Methanol is properly packaged and implemented then the power generation companies could have better access to cheaper fuel which in a long run also brings about the climate change and draws us closer to meeting our net zero 2060…”
She expressed belief in the future prospect of lower energy Cost; if more gas is available at a cheaper rate to increase generation.
NED is in partnership with Sun Hydro Energy Limited , Brass Methanol and the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation on this revolutionary innovation.
Confidence Okwuchi
