Page 6 - AfrElec Week 39

AfrElec POLICY AfrElec

Nigeria aims for 30% green target by 2030

NIGERIA NIGERIAN Science and Technology Minister enterprises are driving the development of solar
Ogbonnaya Onu said Nigeria would be able to photovoltaic (PV) in the country.
generate 30% of its electricity from renewable “This trend certainly needs de-risking in
sources by 2030, as currently called for by the order to stimulate private sector participation.
National Energy Policy. This is important, since the National Energy
Onu also told a meeting of power sector fig- Policy emphasises integrating renewable energy
ures in Abuja this week that since the current into the nation’s energy supply mix.
government took office in 2015, grid-connected “The Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy has
generating capacity had risen by an average of projected that renewable electricity is to contrib-
390 MW per year. ute about 30% of the total electricity supply in the
Onu said that since the National Energy Pol- nation by 2030,” he said.
icy (NEP) put an emphasis on integrating renew- Meanwhile, Bala Jidere, director-general of
able energy into the nation’s energy supply mix, the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), said
there was the need to ensure that electricity sup- mini-grids were a key technology for promoting
ply was reliable and affordable. renewables and raising access-to-power levels.
The minister said that renewable energy They were speaking at an event organised by
could meet the country’s energy needs in a sus- the National Steering Committee of the United
tainable manner, as well as create jobs and boost Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and
economic activity, especially in rural areas. Global Environment Facility (GEF) project.
“This is commendable but inadequate to The global community, MDM investors and
meet the needs of both our growing population the private sector led by Siemens are all keen to
and also sustain our desired level of economic raise the country’s woefully low level of grid-con-
development. nected capacity, which currently stand at around
“There is no doubt that renewable energy has 5,000 MW.
the potential to help meet the nation’s energy The country’s gas production is little-used in
needs in a sustainable manner. It has the poten- the generating sector because of pipeline prob-
tial to create jobs and improve livelihoods in lems and supply issues, as well as debt-ridden
Nigeria, especially in rural areas. distribution companies being unable to pay for
“Already, increasing demand for rural water electricity from generators.™
supply, lighting, health services and micro

South Africa sets date for

emergency power IPP bids

SOUTH AFRICA THE South African government has set Novem- months.
ber 24 as the date for private power developers to Eskom has struggled to meet demand while it
submit bids for the Risk Mitigation Independ- takes power plants offline for repairs.
ent Power Producer Procurement Programme The DMRE started its request for proposal
(RMIPPPP). (RfP) process for the risk mitigation programme
The programme aims to procure 2,000 MW on August 23. IPP Office head Tshifhiwa Ber-
of emergency capacity that must start commer- nard Magoro said that it wanted to received bids
cial operations by June 2022. from projects that can soon reach financial clo-
The Department of Mineral Resources and sure and start with construction.
Energy (DMRE) and the Independent Power Magoro affirmed that the DMRE and other
Producer (IPP) Office said this week that the relevant departments would prioritise licensing
bid notification period would close on October and other approval processes related to the risk
30, while November 24 was the last day for bid mitigation programme to help ensure timely
submissions. finalisation of the bids.
To allow for coronavirus (COVID-19) safe- The RMIPPPP was published, or gazetted, by
guarding, the bids will only start to be evaluated the department on July 17, with the aim of filling
from November 30. the current short-term energy supply gap that
The emergency capacity is being fast-tracked South Africa has, which the Integrated Resource
in a bid to reduce the power cuts, or load-shed- Plan 2019 has determined to be 2,000 MW.
ding, that have plagued the country in recent The RMIPPPP serves as an “emergency”

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 39 01•October•2020