STATUS OF WIND ENERGY UTILISATON IN NIGERIA

BY BABA, M. T. DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE Email: muhammadtanko@yahoo.com

AND

GARBA, I. MNSE, Regd. Engr. COREN DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO, KANO STATE Email: isagar2051@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
The paper looked into the wind energy potentials, and the extent to which these potentials were utilized in Nigeria for a sustainable environment. From the research, it was found out that Nigeria is blessed with vast opportunity for harnessing wind for various applications most especially at the core northern states, mountainous parts of the central, eastern states and offshore areas equivalent to 86% of the possible total annual wind energy flux density for the country. It was also found out that wind energy utilization in the country is faced with challenges such as absence of local manufacturing for wind energy components, reluctance of government to encourage wind technologies, lack of offshore wind mapping, and low financing. Recommendations were made on how to overcome the above mentioned challenges. Key Words: Wind Energy, Utilisation, Potentials.

INTRODUCTION
Energy has been defined as the ability to do work (Tippens, 2001), a force multiplier that enhance mans ability to convert raw material in to useful product, providing variety of useful services (Sorenson, 1983). Energy is an essential ingredient for socio economic development and economic growth, an essential input to all aspects of modern life and indeed a live wire of industrial production, the fuel for transportation as well as for the generation of electricity in conventional thermal plants (Sambo, 2005). However, energy production, distribution and consumption cause major environmental concerns such as deforestation, air and land pollution as well as flooding. Excessive fuel wood consumption arises due to population growth, low technical efficiency of the traditional three stone stoves and the lack of adoption of other sustainable cooking methodologies. These contribute to deforestation which is a very serious issue because of the important roles forestry resources play in the ecosystem. They serve as sinks for carbon dioxide, maintain diverse plants and animal life and also regulate the flow of water. Their loss, as mentioned earlier, leads to soil erosion, desert encroachment and loss of soil fertility. Combustion of fossil fuels, especially in the transport and industry sectors, contributes greatly to air pollution in cities. A major air pollution that poses health hazards to both dwellers of the cities and rural areas is the long exposure to smoke from biomass combustion in poorly ventilated kitchens. Major water and soil contamination are reported from time to time which arise from oil spillages in the oil producing areas of the country. Dams for hydropower have been noted to periodically

cause flooding of agricultural land upstream while at the same time the dams cause destruction of the ecology downstream. Hence the need for an environmentally free source of energy. Currently a high proportion of the worlds total energy output is generated from fossil fuels such as oil and coal. Energy and in particular oil and gas, has continued to contribute over 70% of Nigerias federal revenue. Natural developmental programmes and security depend largely on these revenue earnings. The contribution of energy to GDP is expected to be higher when we take into account renewable energy utilization, which constitute about 90% of the energy used by rural population (Sambo, 2009). it should be noted that Nigeria which is located between 2.720 E and 14. 640 E with a land area of about 924, 000 sq km has about 140 million people (i.e 15% of the Africas population) (Sambo ,2010). Despite its different kind and forms, energy have been broadly classified as renewable and non renewable sources with the non renewable been the

most widely used. The renewable include wind, solar, biomass, hydropower etc. Presently, renewable energy technologies are increasingly used to address energy shortages and to expand the range of services in both rural and urban areas; but one of its sources that was not receiving much concern is the wind energy. The wind energy technology is mature and well established although, it is still undergoing more technical development. Because of its environmental advantages and technological advancements, there is now increased global concern of its usage as a source of energy. Wind energy can be harnessed for electricity generation, water pumping, irrigation, and milling. Wind energy is currently the most economic renewable energy apart from hydropower, its usage, versatility, and ability to use it as a decentralized energy form make its applications possible in rural areas where it is technically and economically feasible in the country. This paper is aimed

at finding out the wind energy potentials in Nigeria and also to what extent these potentials are being utilized through the following objectives: i. ii. iii. To encourage wind utilization in Nigeria. To reduce the countrys dependence on other sources of energy such as fossil fuels. To create ways to develop wind farms and wind energy technologies.

WIND POWER IN NIGERIA

Nigeria is blessed with abundant fossil fuel (oil and gas) and the Government investment in power generation had been mainly restricted to thermal coal plants, gas plants and hydro power stations. Adegoke and Anjorin (1996) investigated the prospects of wind energy utilization in Nigeria by analyzing available wind data for Akure, Bauchi and Port Harcourt and observed that the average wind speed measured at 10metres height above the ground for Bauchi is 4.78m/s, Port Harcourt is 2.56m/s and that for Akure is 0.76m/s. It was concluded that Bauchi favours the installation of wind turbines more than Port Harcourt and Akure and that the variation of annual mean wind speed is much lower for Port Harcourt than it is for Bauchi implying that wind turbines installed in Port Harcourt would function more regularly over several years. Wind speeds of not less than 2.22m/s have been found to be favourable for uses of windmills in northern Nigeria although this may strictly apply to the type of windmill tested. It has also been reported that most windmills would not start at wind speeds less than 3m/s. In 2003, the federal government of Nigeria approved a national energy policy, which encourages the utilization of the countrys energy resources, including renewable, for sustainable national development with the

active participation of private sector. For example, the following policies are articulated for wind energy (Sambo , 2010). 1. The nation shall commercially develop its wind energy resource and integrate this with other energy resource. 2. The nation shall take necessary measures to ensure that this form of energy is harnessed at sustainable costs to both suppliers and consumers in the rural area. The National Energy Commission of Nigeria (NECN) is presently leading Research and Development (R&D) efforts in developing indigenous technology in wind energy conversion systems.

WIND ENERGY POTENTIALS IN NIGERIA:

Globally, Nigeria is located within low to moderate wind energy zone. According to Ojosu and Salawu (1990) carried out the most comprehensive nationwide study on wind energy availability
and potential in Nigeria. The study uses data on wind speeds and direction for 22 meteorological

stations from the Nigeria meteorological office, Oshodi near Lagos. The meteorological data are based on the 3-hourly records of wind for periods ranging from 12 to 33 years (1951 1983).Ojosu and Salawu (1990) broadly appraised the wind energy potential for wind energy utilization in Nigeria. They estimated the maximum energy obtainable from a 25m diameter
-1

wind turbine with an efficiency of 30% at 25m height to be about 97 MWh year for Sokoto, a
-1 -1

site in the high wind speed regions, 50 MWh year for Kano, 25.7 MWh year for Lagos and
-1

24.5 MWh year for Port Harcourt. Table 2 shows the wind energy densities for other sites. According to the report of Lehmeyer International Consultants (2005), wind energy reserved in Nigeria at 10 m high reveals that some sites have wind regime between 1.0 and 5.1 m/s, and 6

show that Nigeria falls in to the poorly moderate wind regime. It was also reported that off shore areas from Lagos through Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa to Akwa Ibom states have potentialities for harvesting strong wind energy throughout the year. On land, the wind is reported strongest in the hilly regions of the north. Aliyu et al (2007) did a statistics analysis of wind energy potential in north central Nigeria and found out that there was high wind power density (135.84 w/m2) in Jos, Plateau State. According to a report by (Ajayi, 2007) , on the modeling and simulation of wind energy potential of Nigeria, in which analysis was carried out at the Nigeria meteorological department, Oshodi Lagos, South-West, Nigeria for ten years (1990-199) where wind data was assessed for ten states cutting across the five geopolitical zone of the federation with a station per state and two states per zone revealed that the rank of potential for annual wind energy flux density, Southern East, South South, and South West zone, respectively, with the first three zone of the rank contributions about 86% the total energy on calculated from the findings. From the fore going, it can be seen that Nigeria is blessed with vast opportunity for harvesting wind for agricultural and electricity generation most especially at the core northern states, mountainous parts of the central and extern states and also offshore areas where wind is abundantly available throughout the year.

CHALLENGES OF WIND ENERGY UTILISATION IN NIGERIA

Various wind energy projects scattered around the country are not adequately maintained and some even abandoned. The current projects embarked upon are slow. These minimize the utilization of wind energy in Nigeria.

According to (Ajayi, 2009), Wind energy technology development and utilization in Nigeria is faced with series of challenges such as 1. Lack of off-shore wind mapping 2. Inadequate human capacity 3. Absence of local manufacturing for wind energy components and systems 4. Low financing 5. Lack of awareness 6. Reluctance of governments and its agencies to encourage wind technologies.

TABLE 1: POTENTIAL OF WIND UTILISATION ACCORDING TO END USE S/No. AREA Small-scale Irrigation GP Domestic Livestock water supply Water Supply GP GP Electric Power Supply GP

2 3

8 9

Semi-Arid, Hot dry areas: Sokoto, Kano Katsina, and Borno States Along the shores of Lake chad Temperate Areas: Plateau, Nigeria, Bauchi and Gongola (parts of ) States. Savannah, warm Humid areas: Kwara, Benue and Gongola States Along the shores Rivers Niger and Benue Hot humid areas: Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Bendel, Anambra, Imo, Cross River States Coastal Areas Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, parts of Bendel and Ondo States All other Areas Off shore

GP GP

GP GP

GP GP

GP GP

LP

MP

MP

LP

MP

MP

MP

LP

LP

MP

LP

LP

LP

MP

LP

LP

LP/MP -

LP/MP LP/MP LP/GP GP Source: (Ojosu and Salawu, 1990)

KEY: GP Good Potential, MP Medium Potential, LP Limited Potential, Up Unknown Potential

TABLE 2: WIND ENERGY DENSITY ESTIMATES AT 25M HEIGHT Station Mean wind speed at 25mLevel (ms) Monthly mean Wind Energy KWh/yr. Annual Wind Energy KWh-2 year Annual Wind energy from a wind Energy turbine in KWh year -1

Dia=10m Benin City Calabar Enugu Ibadan Ilorin Jos Kaduna Kano Lagos (Ikeja) Lokoja Maiduguri Minna Makurdi Nguru Oshogbo P.H. Potiskum Sokoto Warri Yelwa Yola Zaria 2.135 1.702 3.372 2.620 2.078 4.430 3.605 3.516 2.671 2.235 3.486 1.589 2.689 4.259 1.625 2.640 3.636 4.476 2.027 3.360 1.824 2.891 2.32 1.12 7.83 4.15 1.23 16.05 9.91 8.57 4.36 2.60 8.42 1.05 4.44 14.48 1.07 4.17 9.44 16.47 2.02 7.76 1.45 5.32 27.86 13.42 93.91 49.78 14.73 192.64 188.88 102.86 52.32 2,187.81 1,053.69 7,375.75 3,.909.79 1,157.06 15,129.60 9,36.81 8,078.61 4,099.78

Dia = 25m 13,673.78 6,587.53 46,097.96 24,436.19 7,230.57 94,559.98 58,355.08 50,491.28 25,682.52

31.21 ,451.23 15,320.17 101.01 7,933.61 49,583.17 12.60 989.60 6,185.01 53.27 4,183.51 26,148.85 173.74 13,645.19 85,284.42 12.81 1,006.60 6,288.09 49.98 3,925.48 24,533.88 113.25 8,894.35 55,591.46 197.68 15,525.75 97,035.94 24.20 1,.900.66 11,879.15 93.13 7,314.88 45,714.59 17.34 1,361.88 8,511.75 63.88 5,017,26 31,357.02 Source: (Ojosu and Salawu,1990).

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CONCLUSION:
Wind energy utilization is increasing worldwide. The availability of wind energy potentials and the extent of wind energy utilization in Nigeria have been looked. Nigeria is blessed with vast opportunity for harnessing wind for various applications most especially at the core northern states, mountainous parts of the central and eastern states and also offshore areas. These areas are capable of producing about 86% of the possible total annual wind energy flux density for the country. Although wind energy utilization in Nigeria is now receiving attention, it is faced with various difficulties or challenges. The challenges vary from lack of offshore wind mapping, reluctance of government to encourage wind technologies, absence of local manufacturing for wind energy components and systems, low financing etc. If these attending challenges inflicting the development of wind energy resources are overcome, wind energy utilization in Nigeria will prosper and the country will be relief of the major energy problems.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is recommended that research agencies and individual researchers in the relevant field should carry out more work on the wind energy potentials and utilization as this work is only a preliminary study and therefore could be considered as basis for further research. The Government of Nigeria through its various agencies should develop more wind farm sites across the country, establish local manufacturing industries for wind energy systems, create enabling environment for investors to widen research activities. The Energy Commission of Nigeria should also carry out offshore mapping.

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References: 1. Tippens, P.E. (2001). Physics, Second Ed. Mc Graw-Hill, New York. 2. Sorenson, H.A. (1983). Energy Conversion Systems. Wiley,NJ. 3. Sambo,A.S. (2005). Renewable Energy for Rural Development: The Nigerian Perspective. ISESCO Science and Technology Vision Vol. 1 pp. 12-22. 4. Sambo,A.S. (2009). Strategic Developments in Renewable Energy in Nigeria. International Association for Energy Economics. 5. Sambo ,A.S. (2010). Renewable Energy Development in Nigeria. A paper presented at the World future Council/Strategy Workshop on Renewable Energy at Accra, Ghana 21-24 June. 6. Adegoke C.O. and Anjorin A.S (October 1996). Wind as an alternative energy source. J.Sci.Engr.Tech 3(2), pp. 511-524. 7. Ojosu, J.O. and Salawu, R.I. (1990). Wind Energy Development in Nigeria. Nigeria Journal of Solar Energy Vol. 9 pp.209-222. 8. Lehmeyer International Consultants (2005). Report on Nigeria wind power mapping projects Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja. 9. Aliyu, A.B. et al (2007). Statistical Analysis of Wind Energy potential based on Weibull and Rayleigh Model in North Central Nigeria. Proceedings of Conference on Applications and Design in Mechanical Engineering. 10. Ajayi, O.O. (2007). Modelling the Wind Energy Potentials of Nigeria. Covenant University, Ota. 11. Ajayi, O.O. (2009). Assessment of utilization of Wind Energy Resources in Nigeria. Energy policy Vol.37, No.2, pp.750-753.

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