In its bid to help resolve the power puzzle in Nigeria, Genesis Energy Corporation and a Norwegian Group, SHP Malthe Winje, have provided a pioneering platform for multiple deployment on fast track basis of Modular Hydro Power solutions.
By the time this technology is deployed, it could efficiently and effectively service Nigeria and the entire African continent energy needs within a reasonable short period of time.
The modular units of this hydro power engines can be deployed on fast-track basis within just six months without the prohibitive operating costs of diesel oil or natural gas.
Akinwole Omoboriowo, chief executive officer of Genesis Energy Corporation while explaining during the launch of the modular mini Hydro power solution for Nigeria and Africa, said the modular units can be connected to small mini grid at 415V levels for direct consumption by targeted communities or connected to the distribution network within the area of the modular hydro unit installation, adding that the units also have advantages of increased generated Kilo Watt per hour and zero negative environmental impact on the rivers used to feed the units.
Omoboriowo said that investment in the Mini Hydro Solution would ensure job creation where the locals would be trained to maintain the plant, service and operate the mini grids where it’s located, and sell cards for prepaid metering vouchers to users stressing that it would also ensure increase in agricultural production in areas it is deployed.
“In line with the vision of Genesis to light up Africa one community at a time, we have embarked on innovative means of generating Power using alternative and renewable sources of Fuel with particular interest in Mini Hydro and Off-grid Solar Power Solutions. SHP Malthe Winje (SHP) are technology market leaders in the manufacturing and supply of prefabricated and standardised Mini Hydro Plants, and the group being one of global technical specialist in this field has brought on board significant positive upside in collaborating with Genesis to light up Africa one community at a time, and starting from Nigeria,” he said.
This strategic initiative which he said is to provide fast track sustainable mini hydro solutions to African countries will engender realistic optimism that stronger and more enlightened renewable policies will emerge in and throughout Africa.
Marc Eeckhout, executive director of Genesis who led the Genesis team to the signing ceremony of the Strategic Partnership said that the mini hydro plants can be set up in virtually all parts of Nigeria where qualifying streams or rivers exist, stressing that their sustainability for stand-alone utilisation in several States, local governments and in the rural parts of Nigeria where most Nigerian resides can be justified while noting that many viable mini hydro scale plants are actually ‘’run-off-river’’ schemes based on water wheels that require significantly small amount of civil works.
According to him, several rivers, waterfalls, qualifying streams in Nigeria such as Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Cross Rivers and their tributaries provide an enviable potential for the exploitation of hydro energy. This is a visible alternative to the conventional buying of transformers and waiting for power from the national grid.
Currently SHP is approaching the Norwegian Export Credit Agency for a financing Solution for the deployment of this Mini Hydro Power to Nigeria and Africa.
Norwegian Credit provides for 85 percent of the total project costs and the Norwegian Export Credit Agency being the largest in the World with tenure of 20 years and with a very low interest rate.
It is believed that this Norwegian Funding would ensure a low competitive tariff due to the long period of amortization of the fund and this would ensure the Government counterpart funding of 15 percent by Federal or State agencies is easily affordable.
OLUSOLA BELLO
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