Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa recently flagged off the construction of a 50 megawatt Solar Farm, a project being spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Environment in partnership with Synergent Power Share Nigeria Ltd.
With this project, the state has emerged the first in the country to take a concrete step in embracing renewable energy solution in tackling the intractable power problem in the country.
Flagging off the project along the Airport Road in Kaduna, the governor appreciated the Minister of Environment, Hadeja Ibrahim Malafia for building the project in the state.
“Let me thank you for this 50mw Solar Farm that is going to be built here. I thank you also for the assurance that this is going to be done within record time and that the neighbouring communities in Igebi local government area will immediately begin to benefit. Honourable Minister, you are already contributing towards the achievement of many of the objectives of President Goodluck Jonathan, in the transformation of our great country,” he said.
Yakowa said the project would generate employment for many people especially the youths, who would be required to perform one task or the other when the construction starts.
He assured the project developers, Synergent Nigeria Ltd that all the necessary documents required would be processed speedily.
“What we are supposed to do as a state is to provide the enabling environment for projects like this to take off. And we are committed towards that”, he assured.
“What we are supposed to do as a state is to provide the enabling environment for projects like this to take off. And we are committed towards that”, he assured.
Earlier in her address, the Minister of Environment, Hadeja Ibrahim Malaifa, said the 50MW Solar Farm in Kaduna was one of many projects under the auspices of the Renewable Energy Programme Unit of the Ministry.
She stated that the farm would generate electricity from the abundant energy from the sun, which would feed the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Nigerian Air Force Base among others.
“I am saying that the project on completion is going to supply so much that even institutions and government establishments will have surplus energy. Additionally, the project will qualify as a CDM project eligible for Carbon credit which Kaduna State would earn and in effect earn income on it”, she said.
She noted that the issue of climate change and global warming should no longer be wished away by anyone.
“The Federal Government is determined to find solution particularly to the power situation that has plagued Nigeria. The sun, a power energy source from Almighty God who never fails is one good way to solve the ever persistent problem of power outages and inadequate supplies. The introduction of such a laudable initiative by Synergent PowerShare Nigeria Ltd sets the stage for bringing development to Nigeria,” she said.
Chairman of Synergent, Dr. Ala Atubokiki, in address presented by the Managing Director, Mr. Godwin Ebolo, pledged to complete the project in record time.
“We express our firm commitment to deliver this project in a speedy and timely manner and in 18 months from now we will gather like this again in a greater celebration mood to switch on the addition of 50mw of power generated from this facility to the national grid as a clear dividend of democracy delivered to the generality of Nigerians at all levels,” he said.
Atubokiki added that the pilot project would deliver not only clean and affordable energy but would also serve as “a catalyst for the creation of several associated small and medium scale enterprises, which will in turn create thousands of job opportunities for all Nigerians resident in Kaduna state and its environs”.
He equally stressed the need for the state government and the Ministry of Environment to process all the permits and other documents to fast track the project.
It should be noted that Synergent is working with world-class technology partners to provide management tools and support services to help Nigeria make the most of its renewable resources. The company’s partners include Suntech, the world’s largest Crystalline Photovoltic (PV) module manufacturer; Schneider Electric, the world’s largest manufacturer of inverters; and SMA, which has the full range of distributed inverters for off-grid applications.
Synergent is equally utilising best-in-class, field proven technologies and equipment lifetime project warranties, a reliable 30-year and power purchase guarantees from the Federal Government and the World Bank for the Kaduna project.
The solar PV Farm in Kaduna is one of many which Synergent plans to build across the 36 states of the federation and in the ECOWAS sub-region.
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