FG to unveil renewable energy policy soon

The federal government will soon unveil the National Renewable Energy Conservation Policy to provide alternative sources of power for the country.

Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, disclosed this recently in Abuja at the flagging off of the federal government’s Operation Light-up Rural Nigeria (OLRN).

Nebo who stated that government is working on devising a socio-economic legal framework that will create an enabling environment for renewable projects said, “very soon, we will be furnishing you (Mr President) with a draft National Renewable Energy/Energy Conservation Policy for approval.”

President Jonathan who flagged off the OLRN nationwide projects described the initiative as a centenary achievement, stating that his administration will continue to formulate policies that will promote the exploitation of renewable energy sources for social and economic development in every rural community.

The minister noted that the solar-powered projects commissioned at the three communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would require a sustainable financing means, saying: “We will ensure that cost-reflective tariffs are charged to ensure sustainability and rapid deployment of the technology.”

He described the two models adopted to achieve the OLRN initiative to include a detached system and a localized mini-grid system. “The first is what you see here at Durumi, which is essentially a detached system, where each household has its own solar panels that power it,” he said.

Nebo while inviting more private sector participation in the operation maintained that government partnered with Schneider Electrics of France and Phillips Electronics of the Netherlands to execute the first model in Durumi community.