The Federal Government has pledged to support the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) to mass produce Refuse Drives Fuel (RDF) gasification plant aimed at generating electricity in the country.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, made the pledge at Nsukka on Wednesday after inspecting the 500kva gasification plant built by Prof. Emenike Ejiogu led-Research Team from Faculty of Engineering, UNN.
He commended the research team for building a 500kva plant using organic materials as fuel to supply electricity to the university’s administrative block.
“The Ministry is willing to support UNN research team that has made great innovation on electricity generation, which will help to solve the country’s problem of inadequate electricity supply.
“This innovation will not only give more people electricity but also clear refuse dumps from our streets as refuse is now being converted to electricity.
”I congratulate UNN on this important achievement.
“This innovation will bring clean environment in the country, create more jobs, wealth as well as generate electricity to power our homes and industries,” he said.
Onu urged other universities to emulate UNN by paying special attention to science and innovation.
He added that this would make universities in the country to be ranked in future among the best in the world.
“I am happy with UNN quality of research and innovation that is fulfilling the vision of founding fathers of the university.
“I commend Prof. Ejiogu led-research team for this wonderful innovation as well as the Vice Chancellor of UNN, Prof Charles Igwe, for his support and good administration,” he said.
In his remark, the Vice Chancellor commended the minister for his visit to see the 500kva gasification that now supplied electricity to the administrative block.
“UNN is happy with the minister’s visit as it will go a long way to attract government and private sector support to mass produce the gasification plant.
“When this gasification plant is produced in commercial quantity, electricity problems in the universities, companies, industries and entire country will become a thing of the past,” he said.
The VC said that the gasification plant would not only solve huge electricity bill in the universities, but create employment and wealth for Nigerians.
Earlier, Ejiogu said that the plant was designed and facilitated by the University‘s Laboratory of Industrial Electronics, Power Devices, and New Energy Systems (LIEPNES).
He explained that the plant was capable of reducing diesel consumption by 60 per cent.
“With financial support from government, Organizations and individuals, the plant will be mass produced for everybody in the country to use.
“This RDF gasification plant that is powered by organic materials like rice husk and saw dust is cheaper than any source of electricity generation.
“I appreciate the minister, who in spite of his tight schedules, came to UNN to see things for himself.
“The research team also appreciate the UNN-VC who has given the team the necessary support and encouragement,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on March 19, 2019, Prof. Ejiogu led-research team set a new record of electricity generation by using organic waste to generate electricity in a 100kva Refuse Drived Fuel (RDF) gasification plant in UNN.
Also, on March 18, Ejiogu, a Japanese trained engineer, and his team installed a new 500kva plant that now supply electricity to the administrative block of UNN.
Ejiogu said the team had already started work to expand the plant from 500kva to one mega watts plant.
Among the dignitaries in the minister’s entourage was Dr Bonaventure Okere, the Director, Center for Basic Space Science (CBSS), Nsukka.
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