THE Federal Government said it will directly
engage with prospective project developers to set
up renewable energy projects in the country.
In a bid to realize this ambition, the federal
government has received pledges from three
companies to set up 1 gigawatt, GW solar power
capacity in the country. The companies are solius
NGPC, Peoples Home Association and Solar Force
Nigeria Limited. The whole programme entails
large utility-scale power projects as well as
distributed power projects.

Peoples Home Association said it will set up 500
MW of capacity across the country, to be added
in five tranches of 100 MW each. Solar Force
Nigeria Limited will set up 200 small-scale
projects of 1 MW each in as many villages as
possible.

Solius NGPC is expected to set up the balance
300 MW capacity. However, the size and type of
the projects is unknown. The company said it will
also set up a training centre for power sector
professionals. Peoples Home Association will also
set up solar research centers across universities
in Nigeria to help generate about 10,000 jobs in
the solar power sector.

The federal government has pledged full
assistance to these companies and will provide
them with land and a transmission network, and
it will help the companies meet regulatory
requirements for setting up the projects.
With these fresh MoUs, the total solar power
capacity pledged by various companies in Nigeria
this year is expected to be more than 5 GW.
Earlier this year, SkyPower FAS Energy signed a
series of agreements to set up 3 GW of solar
power capacity in the country. This capacity
would be added through utility-scale projects and
represents an investment worth $5 billion.
In late November, two US-based companies
pledged to set up a total solar power capacity of
1.2 GW by 2017. The projects will require a
cumulative investment of $2 billion dollars and
once operational will generate enough power to
meet the demands of 1 million homes in the
country.

Also, a consortium of American investors in
renewable energy, under the auspices of Motir
Seaspire, had earlier signed a memorandum of
understanding with the federal government to
deliver in two years 1,200mw of solar powered
electricity in Nigeria.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo,
who made this known explained that the
proposed solar technology to be installed is
guaranteed United States standard, assuring that
the consortium has the capacity to increase the
scope of the project up to 10,000mw in the next
five years.

www.vanguardngr.com/2014/12/2015-fg-partners-firm-1-gw-solar-power-capacity-devt/

prof nebo is working hard to ensure we enjoy uninterrupted electricity supply.
2015 will be greater