The seminar on “Biogas Production and Waste Management” which took place in Lagos on Wednesday 13th Sept. 2017 at the Westwood Hotel Ikoyi, Lagos was the continuation of twelve successful seminars on the Renewable Energy Potentials in Nigeria initiated by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos in 2014.
Financed by the Foreign Energy Policy Fund of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the seminars were facilitated by the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Lagos, the Energy and Environment Desk of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Lagos (DGIC) and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Abuja.
Mr. Olasunkanmi Akindele, Project Assistant of the Energy and Environment Desk at DGIC introduced the seminar series while Mrs. Alexandra Herr, the Deputy Consul General gave the welcome address and reiterated her government’s commitment to promoting renewable energy in Nigeria. The session was moderated by Dr. Omotayo Dairo, the Board Chairman, Centre for Renewable Energy Technology (CRET), Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
While delivering his introduction speech, Mr. Akindele noted that given the current energy gap and waste management challenges in Nigeria, biogas technology presents a comprehensive and sustainable waste-to-energy solution for improved productivity in industry and a safer environment. Biogas is utilized worldwide to redress fluctuating energy demand, produce fertilizer, cooking gas and biofuels. It also serves to mitigate deforestation, CO2 emissions and other environmental concerns associated with non-sustainable waste disposal and management practices.
The seminar was focused on the development of biogas as a viable alternative energy source to fossil fuel generators and as an effective tool for integrated solid waste management in Nigeria. It drew on best practices, perspectives and current bioenergy trends from Nigeria, Ghana and Germany and aimed at discussing applicability within the Nigerian market. It brought together relevant actors and stakeholders of the industry, government and informal sector for collaboration and networking.
Starting with the presentation on Biogas as a Sustainable Solution to Energy and Waste Management Challenges in Nigeria, Mrs. Nina Ani, CEO, Avenam Links Int’l Ltd. explored the enormous business opportunities of Nigeria’s annual – organic – waste output (estimated at 542.5 million tons = NGN4.54 trillion / $29.29 billion e.g. livestock and food waste etc) as a renewable source of energy, cooking gas etc and its long-term implications on both humans and the environment. She emphasized major bottlenecks within the industry and suggested proven measures that could help to stimulate the right investments in the sector.
Mr. Theophilus Anang, MD, Africa Renewable Energy Technology Ltd. in Accra focused on Biogas Technology and Utilization in Ghana. He discussed the evolution of biogas technology in Ghana, regulatory frameworks and available incentives, hurdles and success stories, and technology types combined with selected off-grid business cases.
In his presentation titled Bioenergy Trends in Germany: Decentralized Clean Energy for Industry and Rural Development, Mr. Mathias Kern, Sales Representative, PlanET GmbH (Germany) talked about biogas technologies and solutions as logical pathways to decentralized energy for industrial use and rural development. He highlighted latest bioenergy trends in Germany, gave a synopsis of anaerobic digestion (AD) process and showcased PlanET’s biogas solutions, systems and projects.