FG to unveil policy on renewable energy

Semiu Salami
Semiu Salami

The Federal Government on Friday said it had concluded plans to launch a National Policy on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency to boost power supply in the country.

The Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil, made the disclosure in Abuja when the Vice President of China Hydro International, Han Yang, visited him in his office.

Wakil said that in the policy, government sought to provide an integrated framework for all stakeholders, especially investors in clean energy for power generation and the general development of renewable energy in Nigeria.

He said government was committed to joining the global trend of using clean energy and harnessing solar wind and hydro resources to address the power challenges in the country.

He added that “as we are conversing now, we have concluded work on the National Policy on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

“The policy will harness and provide focal point for all national efforts on renewable energy. This is in line with the commitment of the ECOWAS President, Kadré Desiré Ouedraogo, as well as the need for us as a nation, to diversify our sources of power supply.’’

The minister also said the government was working on a vision to generate about 30,000 megawatts from renewable sources to augment supply from the national grid.

He added that “we are committed to driving President Goodluck Jonathan’s agenda; his vision of a Nigeria where 30,000MW will be generated from renewable sources in the next one decade.’’

“It is to that end that we are also working on a Presidential Initiative on Renewable Energy for power generation. This is to provide the needed political support at the highest level of government for local and foreign investment and drive in solar, wind, small hydro and bio-mass power.”

Wakil said work had reached advanced stage at the Katsina Wind Farm, with a capacity of about 10MW, while other renewable energy projects were ongoing around the country.

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