The Nigeria Energy Dialogue (NED) has partnered
with the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology
and Innovation to unveil the Methanol Fuel
Production Technology.
The Executive Director of NED, Frank Edozie, said
this at the ongoing 2023 Ministry of Science,
Technology and Innovation Expo on Tuesday in
Abuja.
Edozie who said the partnership was a revolution
simplified by technology, said it would also drive the
country’s vision for a clean, safe and available
energy.
He said methanol is a transportable energy that can
be used to power industries, rural electrification
and household energy with a multiplier effect on
the economy through job creation.
“We will get our people to work as many people
needed accessible energy. The beauty of it is we are
talking about technology that is there.
“We will build on Brass Methanol and numerous
methanol projects across the country.
“We don’t see this as an alternative; it will
eventually become the main source of energy
because it is green and accessible.
“The more it is deployed, the cheaper it becomes
until it gets better current cost of energy,” he said.
Edozie said that the technology convert gas
methanol to hydrogen fuel cells for multiple uses
across the energy space in Nigeria.
The director said this was coming at a time Nigeria
was almost completing the construction of Brass
Methanol plant, in partnership with Sun Hydro
Energy Limited and Clean Energy Resources.
Also speaking, Dr Peter Ekweozoh, Director,
implementation of methanol value chain in Nigeria,
said that methanol fuel technology implementation
would assist Nigeria achieve its obligation under the
Paris agreement.
Ekweozoh said that the project would reduce global
warming in various sectors of the economy by
reducing hydrocarbon emission footprints.
“This technology will help to improve our
transportation system, because we are going to use
hydrogen fuel cells or Methanol which has low
carbon footprints to drive vehicles when fully
adopted by Nigerians,” he said.
He said that 40 million jobs would be generated in
two years from the methanol production value
chain.
He said it would also generate cheap quality
affordable clean and trusted energy to power the
rural areas in Nigeria.
Dr Offiong Archibong Anyanwu, Programme
Director for NED, said the project would create a
platform for stakeholders in the energy sector to
ensure that net zero was achieved.
“The objective of this partnership is to sustained
focus on the momentum that has been made on
methanol in Nigeria, and this will ensure cleaner
source of fuel for cars, household applications and
industries,” she said.
Anyanwu added that methanol was the future of
energy, expressing hope that this achievement of
the Buhari’s administration would not be swept
under the carpet by the next administration.
She said this was because methanol was already
used across the system and since technology was
not static, it was imperative that the current
government build on the momentum methanol
hence the slogan BOOMM.
Dr. Joy Ogaji, Chief Executive Officer, Association of
Power Generating companies in Nigeria expressed
confidence in the revolutionary move to possible
cheaper fuel to power generation companies in
Nigeria.
She said if methanol is properly packaged and
implemented, power generation companies can
have better access to cheaper fuel.
Joy also said it will at the long run bring about the
climate change and draws closer to meeting our net
zero 2060.