Nigeria Content Online

The Minister of
Science and Technology, Mohammed Ka’oje Abubakar, tasks two agencies in
the ministry to exploit the possibilities of the local production of
solar cells and solar panels as key to solar energy supply.

The Minister who
said this when he visited the Sheda Science and Technology Complex,
Kwali and the National Agency for Science and Engineering
Infrastructure, Idu , both in Abuja, lamented that the agencies are not
proactive in research and development, which has potential for
commercialisation.

“There are some
good research works carried out by the technology complex, some of them
are ongoing and all of them have potential for commercialisation. But
unfortunately, very little commercialisation of these works have taken
place,” he said.

Solar cells and panels

In line with the
commercialisation efforts, the minister charged the complex to produce
solar cells in the laboratory. “You have all it takes to produce solar
cells. You have all the machines and the testing equipment for
production of solar cells. I am sure you will understand that solar
cell is critical to solar energy generation. This is your major
challenge now, to produce solar cells for the benefit of Nigerians.”

He said their
production will be complemented by the efforts of the engineering
infrastructure agency, which he said already produces solar panels,
adding that the agency has the requisite technical and human capacities
to execute the project.

Thomas Oberafo, the
Director General of the technology complex, said the agency is
determined “to use science and technology to contribute to the
development of our country.”

Anthony Oberafo,
Director of Physics Advanced Laboratory, disclosed that they have
produced samples of solar cells, adding that “what is left is to
improve on the efficiencies of these samples and once we are satisfied,
we try to work on the economics then bring in entrepreneurs who will do
the mass production,” adding that Nigerians will have solar cells in
commercial quantities by 2012.

The laboratory boss
argued that “depending on fossil fuel alone for energy is not too good.
For now, they may be sufficient because we have them all over the place
but eventually it will be a scarce resource. But the sun is there
forever. The percentage of energy mix attributable to solar is very low
all over the world but it is going to go up when people are able to
produce cheaper solar cells.”

Also, Olusegun
Adewoye, Director General of the engineering infrastructure hinted that
the agency will commence the production of solar panels in the third
quarter of 2010. “The building is ready, the equipment have been
imported and the human capacity is built. We are only waiting for the
Chinese contractors to install the equipment so that production can
start.”