Transcript Social and Economic Acceptance of Renewable Energy

2.1.5 Biomass

Biomass energy or bio-energy refers to energy derived from
the conversion of biomass into liquid or gaseous fuel.

Wood is currently the main source of fuel for over 70 percent
of the Nigerian population, particularly rural dwellers.

Nigeria is naturally rich in fuelwood, but excessive woodgathering activity has caused critical depletion of this
resource.

Nigeria’s annual production of agricultural biomass is
enormous. 94 percent and 68 percent of Nigerian households
are engaged in crop farming and livestock farming
respectively.

Biogas and biofuel technologies are used for the conversion of
organic biomass matter to gaseous and liquid states
respectively.

Biogas research started in Nigeria in 1982. Since then, research
activity has been sustained, but not strongly enough to make
the technology attain commercial status in the country.

So far, less than twenty biogas pilot projects exist in the country.

In Nigeria, several briquette production machines have been
developed by the energy research centres. As is the case with
improved woodstoves, the research centres shoulder most of the
responsibility for development and dissemination of biomass
briquetting technology. Design, marketing, training, operation
and maintenance of this technology are all handled by the
research centres.

Nigeria is at a critical juncture in its development trajectories.
Confronted with internal challenges of persistent poverty and
unemployment,

The resource basis of energy sector is facing threats of
environmental degradation, including deforestation, soil erosion,
desertification, loss of biodiversity, depletion and effects of
climate change. At the same time, these challenges represent
opportunities for change.

Renewable energy innovation may offer considerable
opportunities for mobilizing RE resources/technologies toward a
low-emission, climate resilient development pathway. However,
the combination of tackling poverty, accelerating growth and
development, and addressing climate change, is likely to involve
trade-offs and policy choices between mutually supportive, but
equally important priorities toward the improvement of welfare
and quality of life for Nigeria’s citizens.

RE offers the opportunity to contribute to a number of
important SD goals:
(1) Social and economic development;
(2) Energy access;
(3) Energy security;
(4)Climate change mitigation and
environmental and health impacts.
the
reduction
of

The mitigation of dangerous anthropogenic climate change
is seen as one strong driving force behind the increased use
of RE worldwide.

RE technologies offer opportunities for modernization of
energy services in Nigeria, for example, using solar energy for
water heating and crop drying, biofuels for transportation,
biogas and modern biomass for heating, cooling, cooking
and lighting, and wind for water pumping.

RE deployment can contribute to energy security by
diversifying energy sources and diminishing dependence on
a limited number of suppliers, therefore reducing the
economy’s vulnerability to price volatility.

RE technologies can also offer benefits with respect to air
pollution and health. Non-combustion based RE power
generation technologies have the potential to significantly
reduce local and regional air pollution and lower associated
health impacts compared to fossil-based power generation.

Non-thermal RE technologies or thermal RE technologies
using dry cooling can provide energy services without
additional stress on water resources.

The creation of employment opportunities and actively
promoting structural change in the economy are seen,
especially in industrialized countries, as goals that support the
promotion of RE.
Rural Energy Service
Existing Off-Grid Rural Energy
Sources
Examples of New and Renewable Energy Sources

Hydropower(pico-scale, micro-scale, small-scale

Biogas from household-scale digester

Lighting and other small
Candles,kerosene,batteries,cent
electric needs(homes,

ral battery recharging by
schools, street, telecom,
carting batteries to grid
hand tools, vaccine storage)

Small scale biomass gasifier with gas engine

Hydropower(pico-scale, micro-scale, smallscale)

Biogas from household-scale digester

Small-scale biomass gasifier with gas engine

Village-scale mini grids and solar/wind hybrid
systems

Solar home system
Dry cell batteries, central
Communications(televisions
battery recharging by carting
,radios,cell phones)
batteries to grid
Source: (REN21, 2010)
Village –scale mini-grids and solar/wind hybrid
systems
Solar home systems
Cooking(homes, commercial
stoves and ovens)
Heating and cooling (crop dying
and other agricultural
processing, hot water)
Process motive power(small
industry)
Water pumping(agriculture and
drinking water)
Burning wood,dung,or
straw in open fire at
about 15% efficient
Mostly open fire from
wood,dung,and straw
Diesel engines and
generators
Diesel pumps and
generators

Improved cooking stoves(fuel wood, crop
wastes)with efficiencies above 25%

Biogas from household-scale digester

Solar cookers

Improved heating stove

Biogas from small-and medium-scale digesters

Solar crop dryers

Solar water heaters

Ice making for food preservation

Fans from small grid renewable system

Small electricity grid systems from microhydro,
gasifiers, direct combustion, and large
biodigesters

Mechanical wind pumps

Solar PV pumps

Small electricity grid systems from microhydro,
gasifiers, direct combustion, and large
biodigesters.
Energy Form
Electricity
Improved biomass
(supply and conversion
technology)
Mechanical
Practical
- pumping water:
reducing need to haul
and carry
Productive
- increase possibility of
activities during evening
hours
- mills for grinding
- lighting improves
working conditions at
home
- provide refrigeration for
food production and sale - open horizons through
radio, TV and internet
- power for specialised
enterprises such as
hairdressing and internet
cafes
- improved health
through better stoves
- more time for
productive activities
- less time and effort in
gathering and carrying
firewood
- milling and grinding
- lower cost of process
heat for income
generating activities
- increases variety of
enterprises
- transport and
portering of water and
crops
Strategic
- make streets safer: allowing
participation in other
activities (e.g. evening classes
and women’s group meetings)
- control of natural forests in
community forestry
management frameworks
- transport: allowing access to
commercial and
social/political opportunities
Region
Total
Africa
657
Sub-Saharan Africa
653
Developing Asia
1,937
China
423
India
855
Other Asia
659
Latin America
85
Developing Countries
2,679
World
2,679
Source: (IEA, 2010b).
Level 1
Basic Human Needs
Level 2
Productive Uses
Electricity for
lighting,health,education,comm
unication and community
services
(50-100 kwh per person per
year)
Electricity, Modern Fuels and
Other Energy Services to improve
productivity e.g
-Agriculture: water pumping for
irrigation,fertilizer,mechanized
tilling
-commercial: agricultural processing,
Modern Fuels and
Technologies for Cooking and cottage industry
-Transport: fuel
Heating
(50-100 kgoe of modern fuel
or improved biomass cook
stove)
Source: (AGECC, 2010 based on IEA data and analysis).Note: kgoe=kilogram(s) of oil equivalent.
Level 3
Modern Society Needs
Modern Energy Services for
many more domestic
appliances, increased
requirements for cooling and
heating(space and water),
private transportation
(electricity usage is around
2,000 kwh per person per
year)