Nigerian Wood Waste: A Dependable and Renewable Fuel Option for Power Production

Abstract

Being an oil-rich country, Nigeria’s energy supply is primarily fossil-based. The unequal distribu- tion of oil wealth, along with agitation for self-determination and resource control, has led to the sabotage of oil installations. This, in turn, has affected all services running on the energy supply from these installations, leading to incessant or total shut-down of such facilities. Power generated using biomass-based renewable energy technologies is a promising option in limiting the coun- try’s dependence on fossil energy for power generation. The most important part of this option is on-site power generation via mini-grid systems. The power thus produced is utilized with the excess being fed into the national grid based on Feed-in-Tariff (F.i.T.) requirements and techni- calities. The important factors to be considered in the propagation of a mini-grid option are ex- amined in this study. Furthermore, the study shows that about 1.3 TWh of electricity can be gener- ated from the 1.8 million tonnes per year of wood waste produced by the lumber industry in Nige- ria. Power generation through the utilization of biomass has however proved to be a possible path in achieving economic, social and environmental sustainability in the country. Economic studies show that for small-scale power generation, internal combustion engines and Stirling engines are economically feasible. Steam turbines and gas turbines are mostly used in medium/large-scale biomass power generators, especially in proximity to biomass waste resources. Micro gas turbine power technology can also be applied on a small scale despite its high total investment capital.