Stakeholders Hail Launch of Nigeria Wind Energy Council, Say It’ll Boost Energy Mix

Stakeholders in the energy sector have commended the launch of the Nigeria Wind Energy Council (NWEC) describing it as a positive step towards boosting the nation’s energy mix in the bid to tackle its persistent power crisis.

They gave the commendation at the formal launch of the Nigeria Wind Energy Council (NWEC) ,an affiliate of the Global Wind Energy Council(GWEC), recently in Abuja.

The launch brought together experts in renewable technologies from within and outside the shores of Nigeria, as well as key industry players from the private and public sectors, including the Federal Ministry of Power and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, and members of the academia.

The event with the theme, “Harnessing the Power of Wind for Nigeria’s Future,” featured various presentations and panel discussions on prospects for effective utilization of wind energy in Nigeria, with Emeritus Professor, Abubakar Sari Sambo presenting the Keynote Address.

According to the stakeholders, the wind energy initiative was a step in the right direction that will bring Nigeria from the wood in terms of cleaner energy, adding that as the country continues to grapple with energy deficit, there is need to effectively harness renewable technologies, especially on wind energy.

Mr Temitope Omowumi, the Council Coordinator, said wind energy was a viable option to complement the nations’ energy mix, adding that although Nigeria has huge prospects for wind energy utilisation, its development was still at nascent stage because of lack of awareness and the required know-how.

According to him, the NWEC is a non-profit, non-political, and independent council that is set up to promote and champion the cause of wind energy in Nigeria.

“I think from a lot of the presentations that are made today, and from studies, wind is a major consideration in the renewable energy mix and globally it is one of the fastest-growing renewable energy technologies.

“It is also complementary to other technologies like solar and if we want to break the gap between energy access and energy transition, wind is a major technology that has to be considered.

“It is to time to replace the dirty energies with cheaper and cleaner ones and wind is a major one, as is cheaper and effective.

“We will be looking for collaborations with all relevant stakeholders to push the objectives, the mission and vision of the council.

“The other part of our thematic focus area, aside from communication, includes market intelligence and data, pilot projects, promotion, and capacity development which is very critical to the adoption of this technology,” he said.

Wangari Muchiri, Africa Director, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC),said renewable energy plays vital role in the effort to end energy crisis in Nigeria, and therefore called for adequate support for the sector.

“We have launched the Nigeria Wind Energy Council, which is an affiliate of the Global Wind Energy Council and it’s great to have a body that finally will be advocating for wind energy in Nigeria.

“We are looking forward to working with the private sector, government stakeholders and others to explore this wind and make it a key part of development in Nigeria.

“I am coming from Kenya, and 15 percent of our grid is wind energy, and I have seen various wind farms be the backbone of wind energy of energy in Kenya.

“I think the same thing can happen here in Nigeria, and it is not only big wind farms but also small wind farms that can power businesses, markets and various other applications.

“I think wind is viable for Nigeria, and even I local governments can be a key part of this with the Electricity Act, allowing states to procure their electricity and to have their systems,” she said.

Mr Ademola Ogunbanjo, Executive Vice President, Oando Clean Energy Limited (OCEL) said Nigeria needs an effective an energy mix to tackle is energy challenges, and wind energy was a viable option.

Ogunbanjo, who is also the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee for the NWEC, said deployment of wind energy was very feasible because Nigeria has wind resources to tap into at different levels and scales.
“What we need to bridge the power deficit in Nigeria with a combination of all the energy sources that we have and wind has a role to play in the same way as solar, geothermal energy, and biofuels.

“The story of the energy transition, the mix is just one that sails more in the arena of renewable sources than it does on the fossil side.

“So there is indeed a major role for wind to play as a resource in providing power to Nigeria and Nigerians.

“We have seen significant wind resources in states like Plateau,Niger,Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, and we have also seen relatively commendable wind resources even in the southern part of the country,” he said.

On his part, the CEO of Stratus Consult Limited and consultant to the Cross River Government on Climate Change, Xavier Eyamba, said the launch of the NWEC would further create awareness across Nigeria on the potential of wind energy.

He however called for increased awareness and training on the relevant know-how of with energy, adding that “capacity building is very necessary and we need to create more awareness.”