Presented Papers

Abstract--There are still inherent challenges with the Nigerian Power System despite the Electric Power Sector Reform Act of 2005 which resulted in the separation of the vertically integrated Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) into generation, transmission, and distribution companies. Nigeria’s current generating capacity, comprising of hydroelectric and gas-fired thermal plants, is inadequate to meet the increasing load growth; less than 8000MW is wheeled to consumers. The hydroelectric plants are located mainly at Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro and Dadin Kowa which was connected to the grid in December 2020; this accounts for about 30% of the total generation. Kainji and Jebba are on the River Niger and this river experiences annual floods whereas the Shiroro Hydroelectric Power Station is on the Kaduna River. The natural gas-fired thermal power stations are at Egbin, Sapele, Delta, Afam and Ijora; incidents of vandalisation of the gas pipelines have been reported. Some parts of the existing Transmission Company of Nigeria’s 330 kV and 132 kV networks are not able to cope with the demand even under normal steady-state conditions. The distribution network infrastructure suffers from overloaded transformers requiring regular load shedding; overloaded overhead line conductors and insufficient number of 132/33 kV substations. The number of 132/33 kV injection points has not been sufficiently increased to accommodate the increasing growth in the demand of the 33 kV and 11 kV systems. The electrification of the rural areas has put a heavier load on the existing 33 kV and 11 kV systems and aggravated existing problems, resulting in poor voltage profiles. The electricity sector is also characterised by high energy losses: ‘technical’ losses in the transmission and distribution system, and ‘non-technical’ losses associated with illegal connections, other unbilled consumers, and the manipulation of meter readings.

The signing of the contract for the pre-engineering phase of the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI) between the Federal Government and Siemens in February 2021 to boost the power generation in the country by 25GW in 6 years is a welcome development. It is envisaged that the operational capacity of 25GW will be achieved.

The theme of this presentation is to propose the introduction of a smart micro-grid structure based on the existing six-geopolitical areas of the country for rural electrification purposes. This proposal will build on the existing Federal Government’s Energizing Education Programme (EEP) which is a rural electrification scheme to provide uninterrupted power system to some universities and teaching hospitals. The presentation will conclude with identification of some research and development initiatives that can be investigated as we transit to this future scenario.

Presentation Slides

Abstract--One of the greatest challenges for 21st century society is the sustainable, low-carbon use of energy. Providing a reliable supply of clean, affordable energy for all, raises complex and significant technical, social, political, economic, ethical and research integrity issues that must be addressed to ensure continued, sustainable growth and development. All contemporary societies rely heavily on energy. Electricity Supply is closely related to the reliability of energy infrastructure. Considering the developmental and environmental impact of the current energy mix for Sub-Saharan Africa, more sustainable methods of energy conversion and use are essential for the region.

Challenges to Vocational Training are compounded by three major causes:

1. In Poor Funding, Energy education is perceived to be very expensive as it is capital equipment based, requires high investment and takes time to produce the desired impact.

2. With an absence of economic self-reliance awareness, a breeding ground is created for youths and adults who do not know that energy education is one branch of education that can provide gainful and immediate employment to graduates.

3. Finally, Policy and statutory inadequacies contribute to poor performance of energy education.

It is therefore no surprise that the challenges are being tackled by industry, NAPTIN, universities, policy makers, NGOs and lobby groups. Energy education is difficult for faculty, because it is a new field with heavy demands for cross-disciplinary understanding. Instructors must self-educate, worry about tenure and other rewards for their work, and seek out a new intellectual community.

Universities have a critical role to play in meeting these challenges and are key energy stakeholders. Universities build capacity through the development of new knowledge, new understanding and new insights, thereby providing effective solutions to complex problems. They also enable a regular supply of highly educated and talented people who develop and implement energy and climate solutions.

Energy Education is a key resource that enhances Vocational Training in the Power Sector. Given the right environment, the combined product will translate to an environment that encourages sustainable electricity supply.

NAPTIN has a critical role to play in meeting the challenges of Energy Education and is a key energy stakeholder itself. Energy education alone is not enough to solve the problems of the manpower gaps in a sector that is undergoing several transformations. When the employee and incoming career aspirants in the sector are trained vocationally or technically, and in addition, have a structured education in energy, it creates opportunities for self-reliance and the right behaviour needed in the Power Sector that will sustain electricity supply.

By augmenting Vocational Training with Energy Education, Government can create the much-needed impact that culminates in skilled craftsmen, technicians, engineers and Policy Makers who embody the appropriate behaviour needed for Sustainable Electrical Energy Supply in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The presentation is organized as follows: KEY RESOURCES FOR ENHANCING VOCATIONAL TRAINING • CONTRIBUTIONS BY NAPTIN TOWARDS SUSTAINABLY ENHANCING VOCATIONALTRAINING FOR THE NESI • CHALLENGES IN ENERGY EDUCATION • RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN ENERGY EDUCATION AT NAPTIN • CONCLUSION.

Presentation Slides

Abstract--Energy literacy plays a crucial role because well-informed citizens can support the design and implementation of smart and forward-looking policies. The need for engineers in different fields ranging from Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, & Materials Engineering to brace the energy and regulation policy for safety of personnel and equipment in all places concerned and also educate the undergraduates is of optimal importance. Knowledge on the extent of energy literacy among the citizens of Nigeria will enable policy makers in developing new strategies related to energy security. In this research, it is the need of the moment to find the extent of energy literacy among students especially the Nigerian University undergraduates, which are considered the future workforce of the nation. The main objective of this research is to assess and evaluate the energy knowledge of Nigerian University Undergraduates in Nigeria. To create energy literate citizenry, we must address the lack of energy literacy as a matter of urgency in both formal and informal learning environments that is why this research is aimed at proposing an energy education policy for the Sub-Saharan Africa. Research has also shown that people hold misconceptions about energy, and for these young undergraduates these may persist into the next phase of their lives hence, the need for energy education. Thus, this study is also targeted towards understanding the energy literacy of the Nigerian Undergraduate student and what their misconceptions are as well as why and how they hold these. A Google form doc was designed to serve as a survey tool for the students.

Presentation Slides

Abstract--Nigeria has been generating electricity in commercial quantity for over a century, the pace of electricity infrastructure development in the country is very slow and power supply remains highly inadequate. In 2013, two segments of the power sector (Generation and Distribution) were privatized to resolve the challenges associated with the prior monopoly of a vertically integrated power utility (NEPA/PHCN), the government in her wisdom decided to carry out Privatization of the utility in order to align it with the world best practice. The decision was to make the power sector more viable and profitable for the benefit of the masses, however it was a total failure from what is happening today. The privatization of Generation and Distribution, only changed the dimensions of the challenges the pervious vertically integrated NEPA/PHCN, had and worsen power supply, which remains largely inadequate, unaffordable, unstable and unreliable in our country. More than 40% of the Nigerian population are not connected to the national grid, for those connected, power supply is a serious problem as about 50% of the total power demand is not met, usually less than 12 hours supply with intermittent disruptions. The challenges led to the energy crises we are experiencing today in the power sector. How do we eliminate this energy crises?

Presentation Slides

Abstract--The Fourth Industrial Revolution, also referred to as 4IR, has profoundly transformed entire production systems, businesses, and the world. It is a revolution involving the merger of the digital and physical worlds. It is characterised by technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), machine learning, Robotics, Mobile, Cloud Computing, 3D Printing, nanotechnology, biotechnology and others.

The 4IR is expected to change the future of work, and traditional engineering skills will not suffice. In addition to traditional engineering skills, adaptive expertise is crucial. In addition to adaptive expertise, engineers have to be innovative, creative, lifelong learners and be digitally fluent.

Various 4IR concepts and technologies are diffusing into society, and the power/energy system space is not an exception. Given this, the energy engineering pedagogy and curriculum has to change. The power and energy system space is rapidly changing and evolving, and in many respects, students’ need to be abreast of these changes and be ready to adapt to future changes. Increased Electric Vehicles (EVs) penetration, renewables, and energy storage significantly affect how the current power/energy system is managed and optimised. For instance, due to the advent of prosumers, Bidirectional power flow has changed the way energy systems are operated and controlled. Blockchain is another technology diffusing widely and expected to introduce technical disruptions and more transparency into power system operations.

This paper aims to explore how the energy engineering curriculum and pedagogy can deploy 4IR technologies to foster creativity, participatory learning and lifelong learning amongst today digitally native energy students and prepare them for future jobs. The aim is to enhance student’s adaptive ability to embrace disruptions and technological innovations whilst leveraging them for improved learning and performance.

Presentation Slides

Abstract--High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) technology has proven to be effective for stabilizing AC grids, integrating large-scale renewables, connecting asynchronous AC grids, and transmitting bulk power from remote power plants. This technology, if deployed in Nigeria, will help in strengthening and expanding the National Grid, and hence, improve power supply in the country. This paper presents an overview of the HVDC technology, system configurations, and possible applications to the Nigerian electricity industry.

Full Text Presentation Slides

Abstract -- A direct use perspective as an aspect of evaluation and control of the factors affecting power consumption regime is used in assessing the factors influencing electricity consumption in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. This is because the occupants of the university residences, otherwise known as staff quarters, share similar status in terms of gross earnings and ways of living. For years, the institution has been on bulk metering for monitoring and recording of its monthly energy consumption which is estimated at 2MW-hr monthly. A fixed charge billing which is far from being smart and is non-reflective of pay as you consume or consume as you paid has been the billing criteria since the inception of the University of Nigeria. In situations where incessant or prolonged power outages are witnessed in the university as is the case most of the times, the statutory deductions will still be affected. In other situations where power supplies are relatively constant, abuse of electricity consumption becomes prevalent through the use of hot plates and the likes for boiling waters and for cooking foods. To curtail electric energy wastages in the Nsukka campus of the University of Nigeria, the loads are characterized into metered- and unmetered-loads and then the unmetered loads further grouped into critical and non-critical loads. The first level of characterization ensures that the focus is placed on loads from which the university is unable to recover revenue from. The second level of characterization ensures that the critical loads are constantly supplied available power. Procurement and installation of tamper-proof pre-paid smart meters in residential quarters, banks, churches and commercial centres is proposed as it will instill energy use discipline and consciousness into the occupants, mitigate careless use of electricity and reduce electric energy wastages. To control electric energy wastages in the unmetered loads, measures which include the use of energy-efficient devices/appliances, automatic power cut-off circuit, mini smart grid, penalty-based scheme for the student halls of residence, and light sensitive switches for security and street lights are highly recommended. Following the analysis of use of energy-efficient 5W LED lamps in the existing 15 hostels in the Nsukka campus of the university as against the contemporary use of 26W to 500W incandescent lamps, a mere N0.259M monthly bill will only be paid as against the contemporary N1.210M with monthly and yearly savings of N0.951M and N11.417M respectively.

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