By Dorcas Jonas

The Nigerian Energy Dialogue (NED) has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to introduce methanol fuel production technology.

NED CEO Frank Edozie said this at the ongoing Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Exhibition 2023 in Abuja on Tuesday.

Edozie, who called the partnership a revolution made simple by technology, said it would also advance the country’s vision of clean, secure and available energy.

He said that methanol is a transportable energy that can be used to boost industries, rural electrification and domestic energy with a multiplying effect on the economy through job creation.

“We will make our people work since many people needed affordable energy. The beauty of this is that we are talking about technology that is there.

“We will build on Brass Methanol and numerous methanol projects across the country.

“We don’t see this as an alternative; it will eventually become the main source of energy because it is green and accessible.

“The more you implement, the cheaper it gets until you get a better current cost of energy,” he said.

Edozie said the technology converts gaseous methanol into hydrogen fuel cells for multiple uses in the Nigerian energy space.

The director this came at a time when Nigeria was nearing completion of the construction of the brass methanol plant, in partnership with Sun Hydro Energy Limited and Clean Energy Resources.

Also speaking, Dr. Peter Ekweozoh, director of methanol value chain implementation in Nigeria, said that the implementation of methanol fuel technology would help Nigeria meet its obligation under the Paris agreement.

Ekweozoh said the project would reduce global warming in various sectors of the economy by reducing hydrocarbon emission footprints.

“This technology will help improve our transportation system, because we are going to use hydrogen or methanol fuel cells, which have a low carbon footprint, to drive vehicles when Nigerians fully embrace it,” he said.

He said that 40 million jobs would be generated in two years from the methanol production value chain.

He said it would also generate clean, reliable, affordable, cheap-quality power to power rural areas of Nigeria.

Dr Offiong Archibong Anyanwu, NED’s program manager, said the project would create a platform for stakeholders in the energy sector to ensure net zero is achieved.

“The aim of this partnership is to focus sustainably on the momentum that has been achieved with methanol in Nigeria, and this will ensure a cleaner fuel source for automobiles, domestic applications and industries,” he said.

Anyanwu added that methanol was the future of energy and expressed hope that this achievement by the Buhari administration would not be swept under the rug by the next administration.

She said this was because methanol was already used throughout the system and since the technology was not static, it was imperative that the current government take advantage of the methanol momentum, hence the slogan BOOMM.

Dr. Joy Ogaji, Executive Director of the Association of Power Generating Companies in Nigeria, expressed her confidence in the revolutionary move towards possibly cheaper fuel for power generating companies in Nigeria.

She said that if methanol is properly packaged and deployed, power generation companies may have better access to cheaper fuel.

Joy also said that it will ultimately cause climate change and move closer to meeting our 2060 net zero. (NAN) (www.nannnews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh

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