By Dr Uche Diala
I actually didn’t wish to write something on the trending information of the Tinubu administration budgeting N10 billion within the permitted 2025 price range for the “solarisation of the (presidential) villa with Photo voltaic Mini Grid”.
The mission is reportedly anticipated to cut back dependence on the nationwide grid and to chop power prices for the State Home, particularly contemplating that the Abuja Electrical energy Distribution Firm (AEDC) listed the Presidential Villa amongst prime authorities debtors, with an excellent invoice of N923.87 million in February 2024 (The Solar Nigeria).
Nevertheless, I’ve learn fairly a bit from some folks, together with one who requested, on Comrade Hajara Usman’s wall, if the (US) White Home doesn’t use photo voltaic power. I’ve additionally learn comparable arguments from some others.
I due to this fact determined to weigh in. I hope this can provide some perspective to some people who appear to not perceive why many Nigerians are appalled at that exact piece of data.
First, Some Comparative Knowledge and Context.
The USA of America has a complete put in electrical producing capability of roughly 1,250 gigawatts (GW). That’s 1,250,000 Megawatts (MW).
This capability is distributed throughout a mixture of power sources, with pure gasoline being the most important contributor, adopted by renewable power (photo voltaic and wind), coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric energy.
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
▪︎Whole Put in Capability: Roughly 1.25 terawatts (1.25 x 10^12 watts), or 1.25 million megawatts (1.25 x 10^9 watts).
▪︎ Pure Gasoline: Pure gasoline accounts for the most important share of the producing capability, offering about 40-45% of the full, or round 500-550 GW.
▪︎ Renewable Vitality: Wind and photo voltaic mixed make up over 25% of the producing capability, with photo voltaic contributing round 150 GW and wind contributing round 140 GW.
▪︎ Different Sources: Coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric energy additionally contribute to the technology combine, with nuclear and hydroelectric energy every offering a baseload of carbon-free electrical energy.
In Distinction, What Is Our Case?
What’s Nigeria’s put in electrical energy capability and from what sources?
Nigeria’s whole put in electrical energy capability is round 16,384 MW, primarily generated by Hydro and Gasoline-fired thermal energy vegetation.
DETAILED BREAKDOWN
▪︎ The whole put in capability is round 16,384 MW.
▪︎ Hydro vegetation present 2,062 MW or 12.6% of whole capability.
▪︎ Gasoline-fired thermal energy vegetation present 11,972 MW or 73% of whole capability.
▪︎ Different Sources: Photo voltaic and Different Renewable Vitality sources presently contribute a smaller portion (about 14.4%) to the electrical energy combine,
Be aware: That put in capability is totally different from precise generated, transmitted and distributed capability or electrical energy.
You will need to state that the (US) White Home didn’t set up photo voltaic or go inexperienced earlier than enhancing technology, transmission and distribution capability or earlier than offering adequate and dependable electrical energy for the nation and its residents, however after, and undoubtedly the first motivation was not electrical energy invoice.
Learn Additionally:
In stark distinction, in our case, we’ve not been capable of present any diploma of respectable and sustainable electrical energy to the nation and Nigerians, however the Presidential villa needs to go photo voltaic and primarily off the nationwide grid.
The irony and tragedy of all of it, is that the most important cause put ahead is due to excessive price of electrical energy along with an unstable and unreliable nationwide grid.
By no means thoughts an administration that promised to offer electrical energy to Nigerians, and finish estimated billing in 4 years (2 years is gone and counting) and that lately introduced that 150M Nigerians now take pleasure in uninterrupted electrical energy and that it generates 6,000MW of electrical energy (perhaps in outer area).
If I could ask some easy however important questions.
1) Who astronomically and out of the blue elevated the electrical energy tarrif that presidential villa now needs to run away from?
2) What enchancment within the high quality and amount of electrical energy has been skilled after the astronomical hike in electrical energy tarrif?
3) What motivation would the administration have to make sure that Nigerians equally have electrical energy, “by no matter means doable”, after ‘settling’ itself by guaranteeing 24 hours uninterrupted electrical energy by way of photo voltaic power at zero electrical energy invoice fee within the villa?
4) Who will present the cash for Nigerians to equally go photo voltaic and off grid, and run away from crippling electrical energy tarrif, just like the presidential villla plans to do?
5) If each Nigerian, each private and non-private establishment, and each business go photo voltaic and off the nationwide grid, just like the presidential villa plans, who will probably be on the grid and pay the astronomical tarrif to maintain the grid?
The thought of shifting the presidential villa to photo voltaic beneath the situations described above and with the present abysmal electrical energy/energy state of affairs within the nation, isn’t any totally different than PHCN powering its workplace with a generator (as a result of there isn’t any electrical energy) to make use of to vend electrical energy items to shoppers who equally haven’t any electrical energy to make use of the items purchased.
Likewise, it’s like the federal government guaranteeing that the Aso Rock has a state-of-the-art Medical Centre inside Aso Rock whereas the remainder of the hospitals within the nation are decrepit and non purposeful.
In easy English: It Makes No Sense!
Let Me Be Clear.
There’s nothing mistaken with the presidential villa going photo voltaic or going inexperienced.
Nevertheless, there may be eveything mistaken with not first doubling down to make sure that the nation and Nigerians, together with these within the presidential villa, have assured energy/electrical energy from the general public energy supply, and at lifelike and inexpensive prices. Thereafter, the federal government and even people who so want and who can afford it may select to go inexperienced – photo voltaic, wind and so forth.
That is truly the sort of factor that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai referred to when he mentioned that the “sequencing” of the insurance policies by the present administration is mistaken, however we don’t like listening to the reality.
A state of affairs the place the electrical energy state of affairs is even worse that it was when the present administration took over is shameful and unlucky.
Lastly, for individuals who may argue inexperienced or clear power, and so forth., which public facility or establishment requires prioritisation for a mini photo voltaic greed? If that have been to be the best way out.
The presidential villa or a spot just like the College Faculty Hospital Ibadan which was left at midnight for over 100 days late final yr due to unpaid electrical energy payments?
