Nigerian Government sets to power State House with solar system

Oredola Adeola

The Nigerian Government has concluded the plan to power the country’s seat of power, also known as the State House, Abuja, on the renewable energy source, following the success achieved with the installation of a 1.52MW solar energy system powering the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and Federal Ministry of Environment, in Abuja.

This was revealed in a statement made by Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, and released to the media by Abiodun Oladunjoye, State House’s Director of Information.

EnergyDay gathered that the project is expected to be executed by EM-ONE Energy Solutions a Canadian firm, with a Nigerian subsidiary EM-ONE Energy Solutions Ltd Nigeria, specializing in the provision of sustainable energy solutions across the entire value chain.

EM-ONE had in 2021, installed and energised the five (5) blocks housing the Headquarter of the Ministry of Works & Housing and the Ministry of Environment with a 1.52MW solar energy system in Abuja, which took those facilities off the national grid, and reduced their reliance on diesel generators.

According to the Chief of Staff, the State House, Aso Rock, will lead the way for other public buildings to transition into renewable energy sources in line with the country’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change in the country through the switch to alternative energy sources.

Gambari noted that the State House is expected to serve as a case study for other State and Federal secretariats and facilities across the country.

It was further revealed that the move was part of the country’s plans to tackle the dual crises of energy poverty and climate change with renewable energy contributing at least 30 percent to the energy mix by the year 2030.

Gambari in his remark when he received the EM-ONE team in Abuja said, “The world is now focused on reducing the effect of climate change. What we are looking for is an energy solution that comes with environmental sustainability.

“For us in the State House, there is the need to live by example. Just like I was impressed by your first presentation, your growing capacity and technological innovation continued to enhance your ability to deliver on your projections.

” I am happy to note that you could actually upscale the renewable energy solution with more space for the solar panels.

“The State House cannot afford not to be at the forefront with the First Family here, and we cannot afford blackouts and need to reduce how much we spend on diesel and cut down on carbon footprint; so this is the direction we want to go,”” the Chief of Staff noted.

Mir Islam, Chief Executive Officer of EM-ONE, commended the Chief of Staff for the opportunity given to the team, noting that, having grown up in this country, “we don’t want Nigeria to be left behind in the global energy transition programme.

Islam said, “More than 50 percent of the energy needs of the State House can be provided in Phase One and can go up to 80 percent, but for space constraints with the possibility to export the excess power generated into the national grid in line with the Energy Transition Plan of Nigeria on public utilities.

According to him, EM-ONE’s pilot renewable energy at the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in Mabushi, Abuja, is a good case study for other public buildings in Nigeria. He said that a similar project would provide the resilience and the cost-saving measure that the State House requires.

The EM-ONE CEO further noted that the State House, being a very important edifice, would be a role model for all other public buildings especially as climate change is now a point of global focus.

Tijjani Umar, Permanent Secretary State House, also in his remarks said that he introduced the EM-ONE team to the project, following the charge by the Chief of Staff to work out the best way out of the growing power challenges of the State House.

The PS however noted that the renewable energy solution was conceived to address the prohibitive cost of power generation as well as the dealing with the unsustainable carbon footprint on the environment, which is not environmentally friendly and also costly to sustain.

Umar noted that the State House is set to arrive at a decision for a sustainable power solution having been provided options, through the first and second presentations by the EM-ONE team, to scale down what we spend on power and with additional value-adds.