Expert says 80% of Sub-Sahara Africans live without electricity

Chief Executive, Solar Jooce, Mr. David Agbakoba, has said that 80 per cent of the populace residing in the Sub-Sahara Africans still lives without electricity.

Speaking recently at the signing of deal by his company and British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), Mr. Agbakoba asserted, “Of the world's 1.6 billion people living without electricity, 80% live in Sub-Saharan Africa.”

ITRealms Online, recollects that Solar Jooce, a social enterprise and British American Tobacco Foundation, an independent charitable organisation recently signed a collaboration agreement to train rural women in Oyo State in assembling and repairing basic solar lanterns and phone charging units. 

Agbakoba, who was joined at the ceremony by Mr. Gbenga Ibikunle, the Executive Director, BATN Foundation, disclosed that the essence initially is to train 20 rural women.

The training, he said, would help them to establish a solar micro-business.

The training will also empower the ladies to light up their communities, and spread the use of solar as an alternative to dangerous and expensive fossil fuelled lighting such as kerosene lamps.

The workshop, which is into its 4th week, covers four Local Government Areas in Oyo state - Itesiwaju, Kajola, Oyo West, and Iseyin – before moving on to other states across Nigeria.

He pointed out that the ladies have received marketing and financial management training, in Yoruba, by Mrs. Yemi Owolabi, Executive Director, Finance of Standard Chartered Bank, Nigeria, and entitled “Growing your New Solar MicroBusiness.”

The Solar Jooce women’s empowerment initiative is a small step in the daunting task of providing a clean, alternative source of electricity, alleviating poverty, and providing opportunities for rural families in Nigeria”.

ITRealms Online, recalls that the training workshop is equally supported by the Hertz Corporation, C & I Leasing (transport & logistics), Sesema PR, and the Bishop of Ajayi Crowther Diocese, Bishop O. O. Oduntan.

 Remmy Nweke


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Scientists turn sun into fuel

The Scientists from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom have advanced work on how to use the energy of the sun to make fuels, to solve the world’s escalating energy crisis.

Media Relations Officer, The University of Manchester, Mr. Daniel Cochlin confirmed this to ITRealms Onlineon Monday, saying that the school is collaborating the Universities of East Anglia, York and Nottingham.

He also said that they are using nanotechnology 100,000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair, the researchers are working on harnessing the vast energy of the sun to produce clean fuel.
Experts at Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia say that nanotechnology is the branch of technology that deals with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100 nanometers, esp. the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules.
But according to Cochilin, these scientists are presenting their research at the Royal Society’s annual Summer Science Exhibition, which opened Tuesday, July 5, 2011.

Members of the consortium at UEA have already found a way to produce hydrogen from water; A revolutionary future use of this technology could be to make the fuel for hydrogen-powered cars, rather than making it from fossil fuel.

He pointed out that currently, scientists are aiming to use the same technology to create alternatives for other fuels and feedstock chemicals, including turning methane into liquid methanol and carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.

“The sun’s potential is vast; just one hour of sunlight is equivalent to the amount of energy used over the world in an entire year, yet no one has tapped into its immense power to make fuels,” he decried.

He further said that Prof. Wendy Flavell of The University of Manchester’s Photon Science Institute and her colleagues are working to create a solar-nano device using ‘quantum dots’; tiny clusters of semiconducting material which absorb sunlight.

He explained that when sunlight is absorbed, carriers of electric current are created and together with catalyst molecules grafted to the surfaces of the dots, these create the new fuel and cited an instance with hydrogen which could be produced from water.

Prof. Flavell was quoted as saying that sun provides far more energy than people ever need, but this is used really inefficiently.

“To make better use of the fantastic resource we have in our Sun, we need to find out how to create solar fuel that can be stored and shipped to where it is needed and used on demand,” she said, stressing that most hydrogen so far is obtained from fossil fuels, which are of course not going to last forever.

“So, it is important to get energy from renewable sources. One of the key questions is: ‘what do we do when the sun goes down, what happens at night?’ If we can store the energy harnessed from the sun during the day then we will have supplies ready to use when the sun is not shining.

“This is a first step in taking the vast power of the sun and using it to provide the world’s fuel needs.”

At the exhibition, Flavell and her team would be displaying an interactive world map which will show children and other visitors just how much energy the Sun provides.

There will also be a chance to see the quantum dots at work, and show how simply by changing the size of the dots, the colour of light they absorb or give out could be changed.

A solar cell that produces hydrogen directly from the electricity generated will also be on display and there will be a chance to race solar-powered and hydrogen-powered model racing cars.

Also speaking, Prof. Chris Pickett of the University of East Anglia noted that by creating catalytic devices which harvest light energy using quantum dots, or photovoltaic materials to drive the formation of synthetic fuels from water or carbon dioxide could be viewed as artificial photosynthesis.

“Globally, chemists, physicists and materials scientists are coming together to work on artificial photosynthesis to get to a stage where we can viably make clean, green fuels," he said.

His colleague form the University of York, Prof. Robin Perutz pointed out that this is the most challenging scientific project in recent times.

“… But it will be the most rewarding if we can bring it off. It's no use sitting back and hoping that someone else will work out how to harness the Sun's energy. This technology could revolutionise our energy usage in the coming decades," Perutz declared.

Remmy Nweke
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Nigeria @ 50: Omatek powers 22 Ekiti schools on solar

Still in the euphoria of the nation’s 50th Independence anniversary, Omatek Computers Plc has announced its successful powering of 22 schools on solar alternative in Ekiti State.

Omatek, a reputed Nigeria’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) said it has scored another first by effectively deploying 24-hour alternative solar-powered hybrid solution combined with Light-Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs in 22 schools across Ekiti.

The Group Managing Director, Omatek Ventures Plc, Mrs. Florence Seriki, made this disclosure, weekend, saying that the current deployment is a special gift to Nigeria on this auspicious occasion of its 50th anniversary celebrations.

Nigerians, she said, could now heave a sigh of relief with the introduction of the first of its kind Omatek 24-hour alternative Solar- Powered hybrid Solution, which could be deployed in schools, homes, offices, industrial areas, critical mission areas and the telecommunications sector.

She also said the Solar-Powered hybrid solution is also available in smaller compact sizes for use by Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in kiosks.

Excited Mrs. Seriki said that this innovation heartwarming, mostly after seeing the whole school and the dormitories well lit for 24 hours.

“Gone are the days when we were reading with lantern and candle lights,” she said.

Seriki noted that Omatek 24-hour Solar –Powered hybrid solution helps to reduce power consumption by 85 per cent, hence making it cost efficient.

“The solution combines the benefits of the solar system and those of the LED technology to proffer solutions that reduce energy consumption while saving costs,” she said.

She pointed out that with the 24-hour solar hybrid solution, Omatek solar panel generates power for domestic and industrial use as the output passes through a solar charge controller which facilitates the load directly during the day while also charging a bank of deep cell lead-acid batteries back-up system for use at night sunset.

“The energy is then supplied via the Omatek brand of solar inverters,” she explained.

In addition, Mrs. Seriki said Omatek is also changing the face of household and office lighting with the LED bulbs which generates less heat and could last 6-10 times longer than incandescent bulbs with an approximately 3 - 5 year life span and consumes 80-90 per cents less energy than incandescent bulbs.

“These bulbs are maintenance free for 3 – 5 years,” she said.

Equally commenting on the progress, the General Manager, Technical, Mr. Musa Igbo confirmed that with the LED technology, a typical 60 watts bulb will be converted to 3.8 watts.

Similarly, he said, a typical 42 watts 4ft fluorescent bulb will be reduced to 13-17 watts while this is the same for a 2ft 42 watts fluorescent bulb. LED bulbs are also eco-friendly as they generate less carbon emissions (co2) thus contributing towards the global warming solution.

“The output of led Bulb is directional, ensuring uniform illumination and brightness and they come in a variety of forms and shapes,” he said.

Igbo noted that Omatek was awarded these set of 21 schools after the successful completion and deployment of the first pilot school- Baptist High School Ijede Ekiti.

Other schools and States are also taking advantage of this unique innovation as Omatek kick starts other projects like provision of 24 hour power solution to Police Stations and hospitals.

In his remarks, the Head of Marketing, Mr. Kayode Yeku said that Omatek will continue to professionally provide ICT products and solutions that confer unsurpassed value to its customers.

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