By Sylvester Thompson
The Federal Government, through Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), has engaged Gas Techno Nigeria, as Consultants, to facilitate the implementation of the national policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology.
Mrs Monilola Udoh, Permanent Secretary, at the Ministry of STI, made this known at a Stakeholders In-Country Capacity Building Workshop on the implementation of the national policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology in Abuja on Thursday.
Udoh said Gas Techno Nigeria would interface with the automobile industry component which formed part of the programme for implementation of the policy.
“This programme’s component is intended to increase Nigeria’s capacity to sequentially switch to methanol as a partial to complete substitute for Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) in the transportation sector.
“It will also help to support Nigeria’s full-scale implementation of documentation of emissions savings.
“This project focuses on management of methanol fuel retrofitted cars as well as comparative emission data generation, analysis and management,’’ she said.
The Permanent Secretary said the programme would help in reducing the emissions of greenhouse gasses, including, Methane (CH4) and Carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning of fossil fuels and other anthropogenic causes.
She said it would also help in the utilisation of the flared gasses and protection of the environment.
Udoh said that Methanol, as a clean burning fuel, was gaining recognition globally as a viable alternative to fossil fuel.
She said since Nigeria was one of the largest oil-producing nations in the world, and with the largest natural gas reserve in Africa, it was important that the country explores alternative energy sources.
“Methanol fuel production is an excellent option for a greener economy,’’ she said.
According to her, Nigeria with some other countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015, which took effect in 2020.
Udoh said that the country was committed to 47 per cent cut in global warming under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) in seven sectors namely oil and gas, energy, agriculture, among others.
She said the National Policy on Methanol Fuel Production Technology was approved for implementation by the Federal Executive Council(FEC) during its meeting of Oct. 23, 2019, EC(2019)247.
The event witnessed goodwill messages by the Director-General of Nigerian Building and Road Research (NBRRI), Prof. Samson Duna, and the newly appointed Director-General of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), Dr Olushola Odusanya, among others. (NAN)
