2.1.5 Biomass  Biomass energy or bio-energy refers to energy derived from the conversion of biomass into liquid or gaseous fuel.  Wood is currently the main source of fuel for over 70 percent of the Nigerian population, particularly rural dwellers.  Nigeria is naturally rich in fuelwood, but excessive wood- gathering activity has caused critical depletion of this resource.  Nigeria’s annual production of agricultural biomass is enormous. 94 percent and 68 percent of Nigerian households are engaged in crop farming and livestock farming respectively.

 Biogas and biofuel technologies are used for the conversion of organic biomass matter to gaseous and liquid states respectively.  Biogas research started in Nigeria in Since then, research activity has been sustained, but not strongly enough to make the technology attain commercial status in the country.  So far, less than twenty biogas pilot projects exist in the country.  In Nigeria, several briquette production machines have been developed by the energy research centres. As is the case with improved woodstoves, the research centres shoulder most of the responsibility for development and dissemination of biomass briquetting technology. Design, marketing, training, operation and maintenance of this technology are all handled by the research centres.

 Nigeria is at a critical juncture in its development trajectories. Confronted with internal challenges of persistent poverty and unemployment,  The resource basis of energy sector is facing threats of environmental degradation, including deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, loss of biodiversity, depletion and effects of climate change. At the same time, these challenges represent opportunities for change.  Renewable energy innovation may offer considerable opportunities for mobilizing RE resources/technologies toward a low-emission, climate resilient development pathway. However, the combination of tackling poverty, accelerating growth and development, and addressing climate change, is likely to involve trade-offs and policy choices between mutually supportive, but equally important priorities toward the improvement of welfare and quality of life for Nigeria’s citizens.

 RE offers the opportunity to contribute to a number of important SD goals: (1) Social and economic development; (2) Energy access; (3) Energy security; (4)Climate change mitigation and the reduction of environmental and health impacts.

 The mitigation of dangerous anthropogenic climate change is seen as one strong driving force behind the increased use of RE worldwide.  RE technologies offer opportunities for modernization of energy services in Nigeria, for example, using solar energy for water heating and crop drying, biofuels for transportation, biogas and modern biomass for heating, cooling, cooking and lighting, and wind for water pumping.  RE deployment can contribute to energy security by diversifying energy sources and diminishing dependence on a limited number of suppliers, therefore reducing the economy’s vulnerability to price volatility.

 RE technologies can also offer benefits with respect to air pollution and health. Non-combustion based RE power generation technologies have the potential to significantly reduce local and regional air pollution and lower associated health impacts compared to fossil-based power generation.  Non-thermal RE technologies or thermal RE technologies using dry cooling can provide energy services without additional stress on water resources.  The creation of employment opportunities and actively promoting structural change in the economy are seen, especially in industrialized countries, as goals that support the promotion of RE.

Source: (REN21, 2010) Rural Energy Service Existing Off-Grid Rural Energy Sources Examples of New and Renewable Energy Sources Lighting and other small electric needs(homes, schools, street, telecom, hand tools, vaccine storage) Candles,kerosene,batteries,cent ral battery recharging by carting batteries to grid  Hydropower(pico-scale, micro-scale, small-scale  Biogas from household-scale digester  Small scale biomass gasifier with gas engine  Village –scale mini-grids and solar/wind hybrid systems  Solar home systems Communications(televisions,radios,cell phones) Dry cell batteries, central battery recharging by carting batteries to grid  Hydropower(pico-scale, micro-scale, small- scale)  Biogas from household-scale digester  Small-scale biomass gasifier with gas engine  Village-scale mini grids and solar/wind hybrid systems  Solar home system

Cooking(homes, commercial stoves and ovens) Burning wood,dung,or straw in open fire at about 15% efficient  Improved cooking stoves(fuel wood, crop wastes)with efficiencies above 25%  Biogas from household-scale digester  Solar cookers Heating and cooling (crop dying and other agricultural processing, hot water) Mostly open fire from wood,dung,and straw  Improved heating stove  Biogas from small-and medium-scale digesters  Solar crop dryers  Solar water heaters  Ice making for food preservation  Fans from small grid renewable system Process motive power(small industry) Diesel engines and generators  Small electricity grid systems from microhydro, gasifiers, direct combustion, and large biodigesters Water pumping(agriculture and drinking water) Diesel pumps and generators  Mechanical wind pumps  Solar PV pumps  Small electricity grid systems from microhydro, gasifiers, direct combustion, and large biodigesters.

Energy FormPractical Productive Strategic Electricity - pumping water: reducing need to haul and carry - mills for grinding - lighting improves working conditions at home - increase possibility of activities during evening hours - provide refrigeration for food production and sale - power for specialised enterprises such as hairdressing and internet cafes - make streets safer: allowing participation in other activities (e.g. evening classes and women’s group meetings) - open horizons through radio, TV and internet Improved biomass (supply and conversion technology) - improved health through better stoves - less time and effort in gathering and carrying firewood - more time for productive activities - lower cost of process heat for income generating activities - control of natural forests in community forestry management frameworks Mechanical- milling and grinding - transport and portering of water and crops - increases variety of enterprises - transport: allowing access to commercial and social/political opportunities

Source: (IEA, 2010b). RegionTotal Africa657 Sub-Saharan Africa653 Developing Asia1,937 China423 India855 Other Asia659 Latin America85 Developing Countries2,679 World2,679

Source: (AGECC, 2010 based on IEA data and analysis).Note: kgoe=kilogram(s) of oil equivalent. Level 1 Basic Human Needs Level 2 Productive Uses Level 3 Modern Society Needs Electricity for lighting,health,education,comm unication and community services ( kwh per person per year) Electricity, Modern Fuels and Other Energy Services to improve productivity e.g -Agriculture: water pumping for irrigation,fertilizer,mechanized tilling -commercial: agricultural processing, cottage industry -Transport: fuel Modern Energy Services for many more domestic appliances, increased requirements for cooling and heating(space and water), private transportation (electricity usage is around 2,000 kwh per person per year) Modern Fuels and Technologies for Cooking and Heating ( kgoe of modern fuel or improved biomass cook stove)