The Oyo state government is evolving an ambitious policy to source alternative and reliable energy through the utilization of land fill gas.
The first phase of the scheme is the conversion of biogas to electricity at the 12- hectare Awotan dumpsite on the outskirt of Ibadan.
Environmental Consultant and CEO, Macpresse West Africa Limited, Mr. Idowu Salawu, who is handling the rehabilitation of the site, told reporters at the weekend that the on-going revitalisation, rebuilding and reforming processes at the dumpsite would boost Oyo State’s electricity supply chain, if the State partners with a Solar Energy company.
Salawu further said tapping into the renewable energy potentials of the dumpsite would be a good support for the Federal Government’s off-grid power supply in the State.
“The decision to tap into the solar and landfill gas, as the end use of the dumpsite is the best decision, because the government does not have to worry on the Federal Government’s off grid supply of electricity, once it partners with a solar energy company,” said Salawu.
He affirmed that the end use of the dumpsite is to generate electricity of one megawatt per hectare, adding that landfill gas tapped from the dumpsite can conveniently generate energy for electricity.
He stressed that the rehabilitation of the dumpsite is one of the prerequisites for the clean and green initiative of the state government, describing the move as a commendable policy of converting the brown environment into a green economy, which in turn has affected the host community.
The Environmental Consultant said the government has established a value chain of employment with no fewer than 200 skilled and semi-skilled workers engaged on the dumpsite which is one of the benefits of the rehabilitation process to the host community.
