Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Delta Blues - Part 3
So, what of the future of Nigeria and the Niger Delta? Will it be an all-out battle for oil revenues marred with terrorist attacks on oil producers and with resistance to change from the Nigerian government? Or will there be a more equitable solution to the social and environmental catastrophe that has developed in Nigeria?
While Nigeria's political scene is a melange of regional and ethnic allegiances that at times represents a Gordian Knot of political malfeasance, there certainly are some aspects of the government that seek resolution to the Niger Delta problem.
In the coming weeks and months, this space will be devoted to increasing awareness not just of the problems in Nigeria, but of the resolution of these problems in the most environmentally and socially responsible way possible. And there are a multitude of options, issues, and angles with which to approach the situation.
In fact, despite constant stories in the news about on-going abductions and facility take-overs by MEND and similar groups, a group called the Council for Renewable Energy in Nigeria (CREN) has recently launched what they call Nigeria's Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP). According to the plan, CREN envisions the installation of close to 3,000 Megawatts of renewable energy production -- almost equal to the entire energy production capacity today. In an area as fertile as the Niger Delta and elsewhere, it is plain to see how energy from a variety of renewable sources can be developed to the benefit of the local populations. The REMP looks at wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, small-scale hydro, and biomass power to achieve the renewable output goal by the year 2025. Or, going by the U.S. EIA's estimate of Nigeria's oil reserves, just about when their "cash crop" runs out. Pretty convenient.
As the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) contemplates investment in renewable fuels and moves to combine Nigerian petroleum with Brazilian ethanol; it should not be lost on the people of Nigeria, nor the government, nor the energy sector; that an estimated 500,000 jobs would be created by a Nigerian renewable energy economy.
There is much work to be done, so stay tuned to this space for a regular stream of updates on these sustainable solutions that have such a profound power to turn the situation from the current spiraling violence and chaos to a modern, fair, and environmentally-sound economy for the future of Nigeria.
While Nigeria's political scene is a melange of regional and ethnic allegiances that at times represents a Gordian Knot of political malfeasance, there certainly are some aspects of the government that seek resolution to the Niger Delta problem.
In the coming weeks and months, this space will be devoted to increasing awareness not just of the problems in Nigeria, but of the resolution of these problems in the most environmentally and socially responsible way possible. And there are a multitude of options, issues, and angles with which to approach the situation.
In fact, despite constant stories in the news about on-going abductions and facility take-overs by MEND and similar groups, a group called the Council for Renewable Energy in Nigeria (CREN) has recently launched what they call Nigeria's Renewable Energy Master Plan (REMP). According to the plan, CREN envisions the installation of close to 3,000 Megawatts of renewable energy production -- almost equal to the entire energy production capacity today. In an area as fertile as the Niger Delta and elsewhere, it is plain to see how energy from a variety of renewable sources can be developed to the benefit of the local populations. The REMP looks at wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, small-scale hydro, and biomass power to achieve the renewable output goal by the year 2025. Or, going by the U.S. EIA's estimate of Nigeria's oil reserves, just about when their "cash crop" runs out. Pretty convenient.
As the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) contemplates investment in renewable fuels and moves to combine Nigerian petroleum with Brazilian ethanol; it should not be lost on the people of Nigeria, nor the government, nor the energy sector; that an estimated 500,000 jobs would be created by a Nigerian renewable energy economy.
There is much work to be done, so stay tuned to this space for a regular stream of updates on these sustainable solutions that have such a profound power to turn the situation from the current spiraling violence and chaos to a modern, fair, and environmentally-sound economy for the future of Nigeria.
