Nigeria, today, is faced with a very big problem that is affecting all works of life. Petrol is now scarce and where available, the price is "on top of the iroko tree". Many are begining to think for an alternative means of surviving in this present situations.

Few weeks ago Nnamdi Azikiwe University hosted the 6th Nigerian University Research and Development Fair. I was opportuned to attend the exhibition. I saw and learnt a lot. One of the things I learnt was that we have great potentials in several alternative energy sources. The ones that tickled my fantasy were in the area of Biodiesel and Biogas.

Nnamdi Azikiwe University and University of Ilorin among other universities had a lot to showcase on this. I believe if these researchs and technologies are harnessed very well, we will not have a reason to suffer again in future because of fuel crisis.

Below are some of the pictures of works done on these biodiesel and biogas. The pictures of the whole exhibition will be for another day.

Picture 1. The Department of pure and industrial chemistry, Unizik showedcased a diesel plant that was powered by biodiesel. The biodiesel was produced from oils of non-edible seeds of Colocynthus culgaris and Sesamum indicum. There were several other biodiesel and biodiesel/diesel blends from several seed oils that were on deplay. So we can now think of having our power engines and motor engines powered by bidiesel.

Picture 2. Biogas plant from Unilorin. This plant is capable of producing biogas from agricultural waste. This biogas can be used for cooking and to also generate electric thereby reducing our overdependence on fossil fuel.

Picture 3. Bioelectricity from petroleum polluted waste water. Here we have a technology that generates electricity from waste water. It was present by Unilorin. In this case some sort of microorganism feeds on the petroleum polluted waste water and in turn generates electricity as well as cleaning the polluted water. So this does two things, generate electricity and clean the water in the process. Each cell is capable of producing about 0.45V of electricity.

Picture 4. Biogas from rice husk. Unilorin had another technology to show case. This one is capable of producing biogas from rice husk and other agro waste. This can be used to generate cooking gas from waste plant material. The basic principle behind this technology is the ability of microorganism to feed on the waste and in the process give out some sort of gas, the biogas, probably methane. This gas is trapped and stored in a gas cylinder to be used as a cooking gas.

Picture 5. Biodiesel and Biolubricant. This is another technology that was presented by Unilorin. This is capable of producing biodiesel via transesterification, a process by which oils are converted to alkyl esters otherwise biodiesel.

So many other universities showcased their own technologies in alternative energy sources; solar bioenergy, Electromechanical energy conversion etc, So if they want, they can stop producing and improting petrol. We have alternatives that are not just viable but also eco-friendly. Thank you.

We are waiting

These things are not new technologies. Many countries across the globe have gone far beyond this. The problem i feel we have in this country is inadequate participation of government in research and development.

Lalasticlala come and see fuel oh

they should use it to power the university first

karcan:
they should use it to power the university first

we can actually power our university with these technologies, but the problem is the inability of the authorities to patronise and try them out.

ChigbunduE:
These things are not new technologies. Many countries across the globe have gone far beyond this. The problem i feel we have in this country is inadequate participation of government in research and development.

not just government alone but private sector participation in research and development

CosmeticChemist:



Read your article on biodiesel. Its not feasible in Nigeria, partly because vegetable oil is expensive. For every 50 litre of vegetable oil, you will require, 8 litres of methanol and about 4 litres of caustic soda to make biodiesel. The price of one litre of vegetable oil is more than the prevailing price of diesel in Nigeria. It is only feasible in places like Côte d 'ivoire where there is cheap vegetable oil and price of a litre of diesel is about 657 cefas. Côte d ivoire exports vegetable oil, in fact a litre of vegetable oil in Côte d ivoire is about 180 cefas.

If you were to divide 180/1.8 , the official exchange rate of Naira to cefas you will be getting it for just 100 naira. too cheap.

You have a point but in the case of biodiesel non edible oils are mostly the target. The most sort after oil is that of Jatropha seed. "Worst in worst" there is an alternative, so if we look for "black gold" tomorrow and we didn't see, we have an alternative which is eco-friendly, available, renewable and sustainable.