Out of Darkness - Part I

Apr 23, 20184 min read

Updated: May 18, 2018

This is the first story in this 2 part series.

The year is 2022. Nigeria have defied all odds and made it to the World Cup finals. Their opponents France are the favourites to win the trophy but the underdogs have managed to take the match to penalties. Nigeria are currently winning the shootout; if the next spot kick is converted, they will make history and become the first African nation to lift the prestigious cup.

Photo by Peter Glaser — Photo Credit - Peter Glaser

You're witnessing history unfold at home with family and friends. Alex Iwobi places the ball on the penalty spot and takes a few steps back, the cameras focus on his face - he is sweating, you are sweating, everybody is sweating. The referee blows the whistle; Iwobi runs up; you jump from your seat; your Dad shouts; your cousin is praying in one corner; NEPA take the light; somebody faints; everyone screams - pandemonium breaks loose. You have missed a crucial moment in history.

God forbid that my enemy (yes, even my enemy) experiences such a catastrophe. However, the unfortunate truth is this is the daily reality for millions of my countrymen. There isn't a constant, stable supply of electricity in Nigeria. It's 2018 and 2022 is not really that far away, which means the anecdote you just read is quite feasible (who knows, we might get to the finals [Baba God pls!]).

Nigeria currently has the potential to generate over 12,500mW (12gW) of electricity annually but on average generate a little over 3,800mW (3.8gW) and over 55% of the population do not have access to grid-connected electricity [1]. According to United Capital plc group, “a general rule of thumb is that an industrial nation requires 1,000mW per million habitats.” [2] This would imply that to have an uninterrupted supply we need over 180,000mW. Simple math would show that there's a deficit of about 173,500mW but this isn't completely true, as we must also account for electricity that gets lost during generation, transmission, distribution and other errors of course. So in actuality we would actually need in excess of the latter figure for a true 24/7 experience.

Electricity generation, transmission and distribution is a little more complex than you might expect. It is for this reason that I'll focus solely on electricity generation in this post and outline a strategy that's been on my mind for aeons.

Nigeria is blessed in terms of resources and global positioning. In this context, global positioning refers to our distance from the Sahara desert. Many might consider the proximity a disadvantage but I try and see the positive in most things.

A few facts [3]:

The Sahara Desert is the third largest in the world. The first two are Antarctica and the Arctic
The Sahara Desert covers 3.6 million square miles. It is almost the same size as the United States or China
Sahara means ‘the greatest desert' in Arabic
The Sahara Desert is made up of sand dunes, sand seas, gravel plains, stone plateaus, dry valleys, salt flats, mountains, rivers, streams, and oases

A single solar panel measuring 5Ft x 3Ft can generate around 265W [4]. Which means a cluster of 100 solar panels covering a space of just over 1500 sqFT would generate 0.0265mW. Now imagine having thousands of farm of clusters dotted around the desert. The solar potential of the Sahara is so enormous that filling 1.2% of it’s area could power the entire planet [5] in the right conditions.

Disadvantages of solar

Intermittent Weather

It's never sunny 24/7 and during rain season there could be massive drops in power generation. Plus no generation at night.

Long distance transmission problems

No system is 100% efficient, and when transmitting power over long distances a lot of it is lost as heat. That is why electricity is stepped up during transmission and stepped down before further distribution to the appropriate rating using transformers.

Advantages of solar

Cheap, clean energy

Cheaper energy for the average Nigerian will mean having a few extra Naira in the pocket. Cheap, constant energy will lead to an improved quality of life. It will also mean there is no need to spend money on fuel for generators, kerosene lanterns & stoves. Clean, renewable energy will also mean that Nigeria is contributing and making the planet a better, safer place.

Less pollution

The adverse health effects of smoke, smog and fumes on human physiology has been well documented over the last few years. Less pollution means healthier citizens that live longer and have improved life quality.

Reduced dependence on fuel

This feeds into the previous two advantages as fossil fuels such as diesel, petrol and kerosine have adverse effects on the environment and to our physiology over the long term. It will also mean that we will no longer be at the mercy of fuel strikes, and also erratic pricing & sudden scarcity of petrol.

Who would have thought that the Sahara that brings in all that harmattan dust that you hate could bring all the electricity that you need.

Look out for part II - where I'll briefly discuss an alternative method that we can use to move out of the darkness.

To read part 2 click here