“Renewable energy reduces the impact of climate change by 60%” – CHHELD Executive Director tells the public.

The Executive Director of CHHELD, Dandyson Harry Dandyson was live on the Climate Change Awareness Radio program, with the Executive Director of Centre for Creative Development Strategies (CCDS), Mrs.Nancy Iheduru. The climate Change Awareness radio program is part of activities in the project titled “Enhancing awareness and institutional capacity on climate change migration and adaptation in Rivers State” funded by the British Councils EU-ACT Program currently implemented by the Climate Action consortium. The topic of discuss for the climate  change radio program was “Harnessing opportunities in renewable energy” .

The program started with Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson defining renewable energy as energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Renewable energy are inexhaustible unlike fossil fuel which are finite and exhausted  Some sources of renewable energy include solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal, etc. Solar energy is the most abundant of all energy resources and can even be harnessed in cloudy weather. The rate at which solar energy is intercepted by the Earth is about 10,000 times greater than the rate at which humankind consumes energy. Solar technologies can deliver heat, cooling, natural lighting, electricity, and fuels for a host of applications. Solar technologies convert sunlight into electrical energy either through photovoltaic panels or through mirrors that concentrate solar radiation. Wind energy harnesses the kinetic energy of moving air by using large wind turbines located on land (onshore) or in sea- or freshwater (offshore). Wind energy has been used for millennia, but onshore and offshore wind energy technologies have evolved over the last few years to maximize the electricity produced – with taller turbines and larger rotor diameters. Though average wind speeds vary considerably by location, the world’s technical potential for wind energy exceeds global electricity production, and ample potential exists in most regions of the world to enable significant wind energy deployment. Hydropower harnesses the energy of water moving from higher to lower elevations. It can be generated from reservoirs and rivers. Reservoir hydropower plants rely on stored water in a reservoir, while run-of-river hydropower plants harness energy from the available flow of the river. Hydropower reservoirs often have multiple uses – providing drinking water, water for irrigation, flood and drought control, navigation services, as well as energy supply. Geothermal energy comes from the earth. Drawn from the earth’s natural energy, geothermal resources harvested for heat are used to produce electricity, which is both natural and sustainable. Geothermal uses natural energy like hot springs with other sources, including magma and hydrothermal circulation.

Opportunities that renewable energy include job Creation, reduced energy costs. Switching to renewable energy is an excellent way for residential, commercial and industrial energy customers to save money on their bills. Installing solar panels on your property allows you to generate your own electricity, theoretically giving you the ability to reduce your energy bill to zero. The exact amount you save depends on many factors, including where you live.

CHHELD Executive Director, Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson and CCDS Executive Director, Nancy Iheduru enlightening the public about renewable energy

Some callers on the radio program shared their concerns about the government and other stakeholders making investments in renewable energy in Nigeria. Mrs. Nancy Iheduru in her response called for the local harnessing,production and use of solar energy in the country in order to reduce cost and climate change. She called upon leaders of Nigeria, and even prospective leaders campaigning for political offices to make plans to diversify and make investments in renewable energy,Nigeria have every resource to venture and be successful in renewable energy. She encouraged private companies and other stakeholders to upscale the ongoing efforts made by individuals and NGOs by venturing into renewable energy with partnership with the government. She mentioned the need for increased advocacy and sensitization of citizens. She also called upon the youths to study renewable energy and make a career out of it. As regards the cost implication, the public was encouraged to invest in renewable energy, such as the solar energy for it is a good investment that pays off in the long run, as compared to the costs of using fossil fuel.

Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson highlighted the challenges and possible solutions renewable energy face in Nigeria, which include multiplicity of policies, lack of finances and tax cut for industries and businesses that deal on renewable energy. He called for effective collaboration and co-operation between the existing regulators to avoid duplication of functions for it  will help attract potential investors.

The benefits of renewable energy include increased landowner income. Farmers and rural landowners who host wind farms on their property can make money from the use of their property. Farmers can also make money growing crops to be used as biofuels. such as sugarcane, sugarbeet, and sweet sorghum), starch (such as maize and tapioca) or oils (such as soybean, rapeseed, coconut, sunflower. Renewable energy also increases the property value. Installing renewable energy equipment on your property can help increase its value significantly. Homeowners may be able to recoup a significant amount of the cost of installing their solar modules when they sell their house.  

The Climate Change Awareness Radio program ended with Mr. Dandyson Harry Dandyson highlighting some of the impacts of renewable energy, for it reduces the issue of climate change by 60%,  improves public health, reduce greenhouse emissions, air pollution, water and environmental pollution from oil drilling and refining of petroleum products. Renewable energy also preserves the environment and the surrounding habitat for animals, plants, and other organisms.

Group photograph of CHHELD Executive Director, Dandyso Harry Dandyson, CCDS Executive Director, Nancy Iheduru and Treasure FM OAP, Aniete Akpan.

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