Harvard Conference: Powergas proffers solutions on “Broken Energy Value Chain”

Africa’s Largest Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Company, Powergas Nigeria, has recommended off-grid & mini-grid solutions for Power Generation and re-emphasised the need to end gas flaring in Nigeria.
Making the recommendation at the just concluded 21st Annual Africa Business Conference held at the prestigious Harvard Business School (Boston, MA) in the USA recently, Powergas Director of Sales and Strategy, Mr. Sumeet Singh, said that off-grid & mini-grid solutions is the most efficient way forward (at least in the short-term) for the Nigeria’s energy troubles.
Sumeet spoke as a panellist at the Conference, which had the theme – “Lighting Up Africa – The Broken Energy Chain”.
The panel discussion sought to find answers to critical questions on why Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has failed to provide adequate access to basic needs like Electricity, that is very critical for industrialisation and economic development. The panel also held discussions on related subjects like ‘Africa’s Private Sector’s contribution with innovative solutions to balance the supply-demand gap in electricity sector’ and “Can cleaner/renewables based mini-grids leapfrog the traditional large-scale power plants in Nigeria?’.
Speaking on the panel, Sumeet stressed the importance of innovative technology in improving the lives of people in Africa and creating safer environment on the continent.
One of the main challenges with the electricity supply value chain is the infrastructural-gap, be it efficient transmission, last-mile distribution, fair-metering or the Natural Gas Pipeline Network. While all these issues are being addressed at various levels, with different pace of development, the efforts don’t seem to be delivering required results in the short to medium term. Quite a few of these gaps can be addressed by solutions like CNG/LNG under the “Gas on Wheels” Model and off-grid/Captive and mini-grid Power Solutions to Industries and remote communities. These off-grid solutions based on CNG fired Gas Generator & Solar/Renewables are ideal solutions providing reliable, affordable and clean energy solutions to not just survive, but to thrive in this economy.
“There is immense potential in the Energy Sector especially through Natural Gas, much of which is flared at various flare sites in the country. This situation will change over time with Government initiatives like Natural Gas Flare Commercialization Program (NGFCP). If Nigeria’s flared gas is captured and processed, it would significantly boost the power generation capabilities to double the current capacity, while significantly improving the quality of the air people breathe.”

Highlighting landmark projects embarked upon by Powergas Nigeria in fixing part of the broken energy value chain in Nigeria, Sumeet said effective utilization of Natural Gas is also extremely important for imports substitution of liquid fuel such as AGO (Diesel) & PMS (Petrol) among others. “And that is why we at Powergas are committed to increase the use of domestically available Nigerian Natural Gas for industries & residents through our innovative ‘Gas on Wheels’ solution”.


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