By MICHAEL EBOH

The Federal Government should formulate policies to galvanize the renewable energy sector of the economy and save Nigerians from the effect of the over N100 billion investment on generators by individuals and organizations in the country, said Mr. Bode Adefolu, Chief Executive Officer, Folub Eletrik Servz a power and renewable energy company.

According to him, average homes in our country now generate power for their consumption with different sizes and ratings of generators, while the government who is supposed to resolve this worrisome situation, is compounding this, by powering the street lights with diesel generators every night across the country.

“Factories survive on generators to be in business, offices are constantly running generators to keep operations alive.  Banks are not absolved of these resources-draining activities, while the telecommunication service companies run with about 40,000 base stations scattered across the country with each station having a minimum of two diesel generators, which translate to 80,000 diesel generators discharging carbon to the environment,” he stated.

Adefolu, in a paper titled, ‘Spending more on fuel to kill our environment,’ lamented the over-dependence on fossil fuel, despite its attendant damage to the environment, saying it is time that the country traced its steps and concentrate on other sources of power that will not be costly and which will be readily available for use.

He disclosed that the Federal Government is paying lip service to the development of renewable energy, and called on the government to compel companies to use renewable energy as their alternative source of power generation.

He said, “It is sad to note that the telecommunication companies are not compelled to look for clean alternative power for the base stations by our government and regulatory bodies, when in other climes this is a norm for them to operate.

“One can imagine the immense benefits to the country, if all the street lights in this country are powered by solar and not diesel generators and if all our homes use renewable source of power.

“The government of the day must, as a matter of urgency, make it a point of duty to enforce the use of renewable energy by certain parastatals like power, works, energy, and housing, while it should encourage others like communications, health and education to use it as well.”

Adefolu maintained that certain incentives should be put in place for anybody going off the grid to use alternative power source as it is been done in other climes.

According to him, the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria, Council for Renewable Energy of Nigeria as well as other renewable energy agencies should be consulted, challenged, as well as supported in formulating policies to galvanize the renewable energy sector of the economy. This is undisputed another goldmine for the economy.