Bridging the Nigeria Energy Divide with Alternative Energy Option

Abuja- Nigeria -- The First Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo was well attended by companies from 16 Countries including US, UK, China, India, Iran, South Africa,Denmark, Australia, Germany, Lebanon, Kenya, and Uganda. NAEE 2011 featured world leading manufacturers like Schneider Electric, Simba Group, D.light, LightingAfrica, Suntech, Pax South Africa, Dasol, Solarlec, Greenage Africa and stakeholders including the World Bank, Energy Commission of Nigeria, IFC, Ministry of Environment, National Electric Regulatory Commission, African Development Bank, PHCN, Council of Renewable Energy of Nigeria, Academia and Researchers  from Universities met in Abuja to discuss  the way forward on increasing power supply in Nigeria.

Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo is a key milestone to the Goodluck Jonathan Administration's roadmap for Power in response to the call by the government and private sector on the need to look for alternative sources of power to tackle the energy problems at the grassroots. The aim of the Expo was to create a platform to showcase sustainable, safe, affordable and alternative modern off-grid power sources to the country. Nigeria is one of the nine countries that Exim Bank has identified as offering US companies good opportunities for sales and it is on this basis that analysts have welcomed the initiative as a "no strings attached", low interest financing option to the benefit of Nigerian power sector. It is indeed a fine high point for the power sector in line with President Goodluck’s roadmap for power- Mr. Chris Edeh, Business Development Director EMEA of Mathesis Consulting said in Abuja. The next expo will take place on the 17^th to 19 of September 2012.

The NAEE 2011 showcased new products and technologies that would improve lives by extending the working hours of small businesses and also give children a chance to study longer in the evening in a safe and smoke-free environment as well as reduce in-door air pollution.  Stakeholders argued that would make the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) effective and make its management to be on their toes. Nigerian minister of power Barth Nnaji says there has been a significant increase in power generation and supply in the country, and predicts that Nigerians can expect much more in the near future.

5 Easy Ways to go Green at Home

Being green is actually easier than one may think. You don't have to have a high-tech house to be eco-friendly. An environmentally responsible lifestyle doesn't need to be so difficult or expensive. Just keep these 5 tips in mind always and you'll find out that you are on to becoming a green ambassador.

  

1.     Use Energy Efficient Bulbs

Saving energy is not only good for the environment but also your pocket. The new breeds of modern light bulbs typically use about 80% less electricity than normal bulbs. Although, they cost a bit more, they last about 15 times longer. So do the math!

2.     Switch your Light Bulbs

Always switch off lights when they are not in use. It makes sense to switch them off when you leave a room, even if it’s for a few minutes. Did I hear you ask “why?”?? OK, I’ll try to make this as simple as possible: A normal bulb uses up 60 watts of power in one hour. This implies that if you switch off your light bulb for one hour everyday, you’ll end up saving 21900 watts of energy in 1 year. This means more saving in your energy consumptions (and bills!!!).

3.     Use Multiple Power Stripes

With the use of power stripes, multiple devices can be plugged into one electrical socket. Rather than having to unplug several gadgets, you will only need to unplug one point. This is an obvious convenient way to control the use of energy.

4.     Save Water

Save water, save energy. Did you know that much of your water use at home contributes to your energy bills? Moving water from storage through pipes to your taps takes a lot of energy especially when it’s heated up. So invariably, using less water can save energy. You can also make a huge difference at home by using water efficient appliances, reduced-capacity baths, lower flow taps and hose trigger control.

5.     Reduce Junk Mails

Junk mail is a pest. It’s an environmentally damaging and rude way of advertising and one that’s surprisingly difficult to eradicate. It isn’t impossible to get off junk mail lists. It’s definitely going to take time and effort. Remove yourself from junk mail lists at every opportunity. Each person will receive almost 560 pieces of junk mail this year, which adds up nationally to 4.5 million tons, according to the United State's Native Forest Network. About 44% of all junk mail is thrown in the trash, unopened and unread, and ends up in a landfill.