Ghana: NPA Sensitizes Communities On CRM And Safe Use Of LPG
The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has intensified efforts to promote the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a clean cooking energy source in the country.
The Authority is also encouraging LPG consumers to adopt the cylinder recirculation model (CRM) policy to ensure safety and convenience in the distribution and use of LPG.
The activities include one-on-one engagements with traders and drivers, stakeholder meetings and durbars.
In an address read on behalf of Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, Chief Executive NPA, by Dr. Joseph Wilson, Director of Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation at NOA, at the Volta Regional Townhall Durbar on Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM), said while the implementation of the CRM was expected to increase accessibility by bringing LPG closer to consumers, challenges related to accessibility and affordability persist.
He expressed concern about the affordability of LPG, citing the 8% taxes and levies on LPG as a potential barrier to achieving the goal of 50% penetration by 2030.
“The NPA is working to address affordability by engaging the government to remove taxes and levies on LPG and educating stakeholders on safe LPG use and the need to transition to the CRM,” he noted.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid emphasized the need for a collective effort to address these challenges and increase household adoption of LPG as the main cooking fuel, which requires a collective effort by all stakeholders.
He gave a statistical breakdown on the use of LPG specifically in the Volta Region.
“According to the Ghana Statistical Service, the use of charcoal or wood fuel declined from 89% in 2010 to 62.1% in 2021.
“Then, the use of LPG increased from 11.5% to 33.7%. This means that out of 10 households in the Volta Region, four use LPG. In urban areas, 51.3% of households use LPG, which translates to five households out of 10.
“In rural areas, 20.2% of households use LPG, which means one household out of five uses LPG”, he said.
The Chairman for the occasion, Yushau Bashiru Turawah, Ho Zango Chief and President of the Regional Council of Zango Chiefs, acknowledged that the programme fostered a culture of safety and responsibility.
“We are committed to educating citizens on safe cylinder use and handling. This will ensure every home has knowledge to prevent accidents and promote wellbeing.
“I extend our gratitude to partners, stakeholders, and the government for their unwavering support in making this collaboration a reality.
“Together, you have paved the way for a brighter, safer, and more sustainable future for the region”, he said.
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, in his welcome remarks, called on participants to take the education seriously.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are here to discuss a very important issue, which is the Cylinder Recirculation Model (CRM).
“I appeal to everyone to participate in the discussions today. This is a townhall meeting, so at the end of the day, we will understand the issues and bring our suggestions and questions for NPA officials to address.”
Dr. Archibald Letsa expressed excitement about the gathering.
“I am happy that religious bodies, women, and all of you are here. We welcome people from Accra to our region.”
He noted that promoting the CRM would ensure safety and protect lives and properties.
The NPA team continues to sensitize people in the Volta Region, including Keta, Afloa, Hohoe, Jasikan, Kadjebi, and surrounding areas, to adopt LPG as a clean cooking energy source, ensuring a safer and healthier environment for all.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: GOIL Wins Oil Marketing Company Of The Year At Ghana Downstream Awards – 2024
Ghana’s premium Oil Marketing Company, GOIL PLC has been crowned Ghana’s Oil Marketing Company of the Year at the just-ended maiden edition of the Ghana Downstream Awards and Gala Night held in Accra.
On the same night, GOIL PLC was honored for its outstanding contributions to the petroleum downstream sector and as a pioneer in the retail of petroleum products across the country.
GO Energy was also recognized as the Bulk Import Distribution and Export Company of the Year
The awards reflect the company’s leadership qualities and dedication to providing quality fuel services for the petroleum industry countrywide and also for being a highly respected company advocating for best business practices in the sector.
The Downstream Gala and Awards Night is a pioneering awards scheme designed to promote compliance within the petroleum industry and to acknowledge both individual and institutional contributions to the growth and sustainability of the sector.
By recognizing excellence across the downstream value chain, the event aims to inspire higher standards and continuous improvement within the industry.
The 2024 Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GHiPCon) was organized by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in collaboration with the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distribution (CBOD) and the Association of Oil and Marketing Companies (AOMC), under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy.
It brought together all the industry stakeholders to synergies and promotes a high level of ethics within the sector.
Key officials who retired from GOIL were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Petroleum downstream chain at the Ghana Downstream Awards.
Mr Yaw Agyeman Duah, former MD was honored for his major contribution to the industry and the formation and growth of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) while Mr. Patrick Akorli, the immediate past MD was also recognized for his outstanding contribution and leadership in the transformation of GOIL.
The Current MD of GO Energy, Mr. Gyamfi Amanquah was honored for his outstanding contribution in Ghana’s Petroleum Downstream sector while the former Chief Operating Officer of GOIL, the late Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew, was posthumously honored with a special recognition award for his outstanding contribution and transformational leadership as the first Chief Operating Officer of GOIL.
Speaking to the Media after receiving the awards and honours, the Public Relations Manager of GOIL, Robert Kyere was extremely grateful for the recognitions adding the awards reflect the company’s unwavering focus on exceeding customer expectations while adhering to rigorous quality standards.
‘We dedicate the awards to our valued customers for their unflinching support and to the entire staff and frontline workers of GOIL’, he added.
GOIL, he said, will continue to work hard to distribute quality choices of fuel for all and always set the benchmark as the leader in the industry with credibility and reputation.
The 2024 Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GHiPCon) was organized by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in collaboration with the Chamber of Bulk Oil Distribution (CBOD) and the Association of Oil and Marketing Companies (AOMC), under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy.
It brought together all the industry stakeholders to synergies and promotes a high level of ethics within the sector.
Key officials who retired from GOIL were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Petroleum downstream chain at the Ghana Downstream Awards.
Mr Yaw Agyeman Duah, former MD was honored for his major contribution to the industry and the formation and growth of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMC) while Mr. Patrick Akorli, the immediate past MD was also recognized for his outstanding contribution and leadership in the transformation of GOIL.
The Current MD of GO Energy, Mr. Gyamfi Amanquah was honored for his outstanding contribution in Ghana’s Petroleum Downstream sector while the former Chief Operating Officer of GOIL, the late Mr. Alex Josiah Adzew, was posthumously honored with a special recognition award for his outstanding contribution and transformational leadership as the first Chief Operating Officer of GOIL.
Speaking to the Media after receiving the awards and honours, the Public Relations Manager of GOIL, Robert Kyere was extremely grateful for the recognitions adding the awards reflect the company’s unwavering focus on exceeding customer expectations while adhering to rigorous quality standards.
‘We dedicate the awards to our valued customers for their unflinching support and to the entire staff and frontline workers of GOIL’, he added.
GOIL, he said, will continue to work hard to distribute quality choices of fuel for all and always set the benchmark as the leader in the industry with credibility and reputation.
Integrating New Energy Capacity Into Africa’s Grid: Challenges And Opportunities (Article)
As Africa welcomes more independent power producers, one of its biggest challenges is how to integrate that power into a finite grid system, writes Globeleq general counsel Marlise Schmidt. But that complexity offers room for great innovation.
There has been much excitement around Eskom’s recent changes to grid connection requirements for energy projects.
Demands on South Africa’s grid have escalated with each public power-procurement process under the REIPPP (Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement) programme.
This is likely to become more of an issue with the opening up of the energy market for Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
Eskom will now require that developers demonstrate that their projects are shovel-ready and will be able to add generation capacity before any grid allocations are made. This is to avoid the earlier “first come, first served” situation, where projects that applied first for grid capacity got allocations.
But such complexities are not confined to South Africa. Across the continent, infrastructure faces massive capacity challenges.
In many cases, national grids are not set up for mega projects. There is no doubt that Africa has an almost insatiable demand for power to drive growth. The challenge is not just generation, but getting that power to end consumers.
South Africa, though, has a more developed energy market. However, we are reaching a point where there will be no more grid offtake available. In other countries, that has been a challenge from day one.
A case in point was the Globeleq experience in Mozambique. The Temane project was a competitive tender, and part of what secured us the contract to build the power project was that we also undertook to support state-owned energy company EDM and the government in building a 50km transmission line.
The transmission line will belong to the Mozambican government, but Globeleq was able to contribute its expertise in securing finance.
This is an exciting example of public-private partnerships to solve Africa’s grid limitations. Such collaboration requires trust between host governments and utilities, which takes time to build up.
It also takes a measure of openness on the part of host governments.
Another encouraging case study is the example of the 120MW Namaacha wind project, also in Mozambique – the country’s first grid-scale wind farm.
Wind energy is an attractive energy source. It can meet evening peak demand, although it is intermittent. This intermittency creates grid-stability issues. We therefore worked with the government to explore and implement a battery solution.
There are many opportunities for transmission innovation, but each must be tailored to the needs of the customer. Power producers must be willing to walk a long road to build up trust with the governments and their utilities.
Globeleq also has a standalone battery project in South Africa, which can unlock more renewable projects in the region, with the country’s next procurement round pending.
There is definitely a recognition from governments and utilities that more needs to be done to unlock renewable-energy potential. But it’s not an easy fix.
The unbundling of Eskom may open up such opportunities. We may even see privately owned – and leased – transmission lines. There are challenges, certainly, but also massive possibilities.
A growing aspect of the energy space is private generators selling privately to mines and other business users. This has implications for the public procurement process, as it also requires connection and wheeling agreements, and grid access – which is finite.
As the market opens up in South Africa, there will be a need to balance grid access fairly, between public and private needs.
One solution to optimising grids is curtailment, where a grid operator curtails the amount of power particular power producers can put into the grid at certain times of day.
This stabilises the grid at peak hours, and ultimately allows more generators to plug in.
South Africa offers some learnings for developing jurisdictions to look to as they expand. We are seeing Mozambican and Zambian utilities carve out the option to split in future. Regional governments can learn a lot from each other policywise, but each jurisdiction has its own unique pinch points.
Grid access remains a critical waystation on Africa’s route out of energy poverty to prosperity. Mapping the best path will require policy evolution, multiple partnerships, as well as technical and policy innovation, if we are to reach our ultimate destination – a better life for Africa’s people.
Source: Marlise Schmidt. She is the General Counsel for Globeleq
Integrals Power Launches UK’s First Zero Emission Pilot Plant To Accelerate LFP Battery Manufacturing Industry
United Kingdom-based firm, Integrals Power, has started production of high-performance Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and Lithium Manganese Iron Phosphate (LMFP) cathode active materials at its pioneering new UK pilot plant.
This milestone for the UK battery industry will help to accelerate the development of the domestic battery industry and achieve net zero ambitions.
Following successful laboratory trials, Integrals Power is now launching the UK’s first pilot plants producing the company’s proprietary high-performance LFP and LMFP nanomaterials. The new facility has an annual capacity of 20 tonnes, the equivalent to 250 electric cars, which will primarily be used for evaluation by cell suppliers, battery and vehicle manufacturers worldwide.
Establishing manufacturing in the UK is also a boost for the domestic battery industry by reducing its carbon footprint, enhancing supply chain security and transparency, and mitigating geopolitical issues such as import tariffs on EVs and their components.
Quality is equally important: Integrals Power’s LFP materials have been assessed as ultra-high purity in a third-party analysis using cutting-edge X-ray diffusion technology to study attributes such as chemical composition and lattice structure of the molecules – these are key to the performance of the material when built into battery cells.
Integrals Power Founder and CEO, Behnam Hormozi, said: “Start of production in our new pilot plant is a key milestone because it enables us to produce our high-performance LFP and LMFP cathode active materials at volume. We believe this is one of the first facilities of its kind in the UK and is exactly the kind of state-of-the-art resource the UK battery industry needs in order to support the sustainable future growth of electromobility.
“The flexibility and scalability we’ve designed into the pilot plant from day one enables us to manufacture different grades of Lithium Iron Phosphate nanomaterials to suit different applications – from long-range electric vehicles through to off-grid energy storage – and to increase capacity to meet demand from customers in the UK and from around the world.”
Developed in-house, Integrals Power has created a modular production facility which can be readily scaled to higher volumes in the future to meet growing customer demand, and also to enable a range of different chemistries to be made.
The process takes place over seven stages, and from raw materials to packaged samples ready for customers takes up to 48 hours.
Ghana: Expert Calls For Diversification Of Energy Sources
The Chairperson of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) Consultative Committee of Operators has called for diversification of energy sources to ensure power security.
Dr. Ali Bukar Ahmad said the continent was heavily dependent on gas and needed to explore renewable energy sources such as hydro, coal, and others to address sector challenges.
“The idea is to pool all these resources together and distribute electricity to areas without power and export the rest to West Africa,” he said at the opening of 23rd meeting of ERERA’S Consultative Committees of Regulators and Operators in Accra.
The forum was on the theme, “Electricity Trade Security in the ECOWAS Region: the Interplay between National Policies and Free Market Principles.”
Dr Ahmad said that there was an increasing demand for energy transition across Africa and that authorities needed to implement strategies to meet the demand of rising populations.
He predicted that as the population grows and industrialization advances, so would the demand for gas-powered thermal plants.
Dr Ahmad expressed optimism that diversifying energy sources would result in cheaper electricity for both domestic and industrial sectors.
He called for effective harmonisation of energy policies throughout the continent to address the challenges in the sector.
Dr. Ishmael Ackah, the Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, pushed for the injection of private capital into the energy sector to complement government efforts.
“The presence of ERERA will set guidelines to harmonise the regulations within countries so that if you have excess power in the country “A,” you can export to country “B,” he said, adding that that would stabilise or make the prices of electricity uniform and address areas where there were shortages.
Mr Kocou Rodrigue Laurent Tossou, Chairman of ERERA, said the forum would strengthen the role of key players, to develop a regional framework for electricity trade that balances the need for the security of the power supply of states with the principles of free market competition.
He said the forum would encourage cooperation among ECOWAS Member States to harmonise national policies and regulations related to electricity trading.
Discussions would focus on promoting investment in cross-border electricity infrastructure to facilitate efficient trade and ensure supply security.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: TOR Will Start Refining Crude In Three Months–New MD
The newly-appointed Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery Kofi Mocumbi Tagoe is hopeful the refinery will resume refining crude in the next three months.
The 45,000 barrel per stream day facility has been idle for several years and an attempt by the government to revive it has failed multiple times due to a lack of transparency in the selection process of a strategic partner.
It is not yet clear the strategy the new Managing Director will be adopting to turn the refinery around, however, speaking to the press on Tuesday, during the visit of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy, Herbert Krapa, Mr Mocumbi Tagoe, the TOR MD stated categorically that in the next three months, TOR is going to get a letter.
“We’re going to start our plant. We are going to get the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) started and functional.”
He added that in about a year, the Residual Cataractic Cracker will also start working as well as the PRF.
Mr Mocumbi Tagoe said the new management systematic plan would lead to the expansion of the crude processing capacity of the refinery from 45,000 barrels per stream daily to 100,000 per stream daily.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
South Africa: Parts Of Cape Town Without Power Due To Vandalism, Theft Of Eskom Infrastructure
South Africa’s power utility company, Eskom, has reported vandalism of its network infrastructure at Gordon’s Bay, Strand, Somerset West and Railways.
The incident which occurred at about at about 03:30, on Tuesday, left several parts of the City of Cape Town without power.
“This act of vandalism and theft affected both the City of Cape Town municipality and Eskom customers,” the power utility said in a statement.
Technicians are trying to restore power but the time of restoration is unknown.
“It will be communicated as soon as possible. Customers are warned to treat all electrical installations as live for the full duration of the interruption,” Eskom added.
Meanwhile, the City of Cape Town took to X (formerly Twitter) to update people affected by the outage.
“It is unfortunately not possible to give a time for restoration at this stage,” it added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Angola: President João Lourenço Meets Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi
The President of the Republic of Angola João Gonçalves Lourenço has met with the Chief Executive Officer of Eni Claudio Descalzi in Luanda to review activities in the country and discuss new areas of cooperation.
The Minister of Mineral resources, Oil and Gas Diamantino Azevedo also attended the meeting.
During the meeting Mr Descalzi updated the President on the activities of Azule Energy, the JV between Eni and bp and largest equity producer in the country, with a special focus on the West Hub Integrated development of the Agogo and Ndungu discoveries, and the progress of the New Gas Consortium (NGC), which for the first time in Angola will allow to develop non-associated gas fields, boosting the availability of domestic gas as well as LNG production for export, ensuring the country’s ability to contribute to energy security.
NGC will leverage gas from the Quiluma and Maboqueiro discoveries, as well as other discovered resources in future developments.
Also, the two discussed Azule’s ongoing technical support for Luanda refinery, that includes a study to implement a bio-refinery within the existing Luanda Refinery Complex, leveraging Eni’s own processes and technologies.
Additionally, they analyzed the status of the Caraculo Photovoltaic project in the Namibe region, whose first 25MW plant is already operational since May last year while a second one is under development.
Descalzi also illustrated to the President of Angola the company’s effort in the areas of decarbonization and sustainable energy transition and their positive impact on occupation and economic diversification.
Among other initiatives, the two reviewed Eni’s progress in the production of agri-feedstock for bio-refining: the company has a target of 100 thousand tons of vegetable oil from cultivation on degraded land and cover crops over 150,000 hectares, involving over 100 thousand farmers by 2030.
Furthermore, the CEO and the President reviewed the clean cooking project that was recently launched in Angola, aimed at supporting families in accessing more energy efficient, reliable, and sustainable cooking solutions, mostly produced locally.
The project has already involved 50,000 people and targets to reach more than 2 million people by 2030, reducing emissions associated to cooking activities and preventing health risks.
Finally, Descalzi and President Lourenço reviewed initiatives in the areas of health, where capacity building projects are underway targeting approximately 900 health professionals, and sustainable development projects in the areas of access to water, health promotion, education, social inclusion, economic diversification, access to energy and environment protection benefiting 500,000 Angolans.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Kenya: KenGen Signs Deal To Add 42MW Solar Energy To Bolster Kenya’s Green Energy
Kenya’s Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has signed an agreement with French Development Agency (AFD) for 42.5MW of solar energy to bolster Kenya’s green energy deployment.
The project, which is expected to be completed in 28 months, seeks to install a 42.5MW solar power plant in the home of Seven Forks dams, where KenGen generates most of its hydroelectricity.
The additional capacity will not only scale up renewable energy but also cushion Kenyans against the rising cost of power as it will complement the hydroelectricity generation during the day and save water for electricity generation at night, especially during drought.
The project is the first of its kind for the NSE-listed company as it aims to deliver more renewable energy to the national grid in the wake of climate change.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Principal Secretary (PS), State Department for Energy, Alex Wachira; KenGen Managing Director and CEO, Eng. Peter Njenga; French Ambassador to Kenya HE Arnaud Suquet and AFD Country Director, Bertrand Willocquet.
“France is keen on partnering with Kenya in the deployment of renewable energy to stem climate change for which Kenya has shown its prowess as demonstrated in the Olkaria Geothermal Field and the Seven Forks area,” Willocquet said.
Speaking during the signing, PS Wachira welcomed the move, describing it as a big win for Kenya.
“The project will provide affordable, reliable, clean energy, create employment opportunities and community engagement through corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Indeed, Kenya and France have enjoyed longstanding cordial relations, especially in the energy sector, and this co-operation continues to advance our energy infrastructure for the benefit of the great people of Kenya,” he added.
KenGen Managing Director and CEO Eng. Peter Njenga described the partnership as timely, saying the company was working to scale up its renewable energy capacity by adding more electricity drawn from clean sources, moving Kenya towards a 100% green energy transition.
“As you are aware, KenGen is committed to achieving Kenya’s goal of increasing its renewable energy capacity to 100% by 2030. We have made significant progress towards this goal and our partnership with AFD has been instrumental in achieving this great milestone.
“We are now ready to develop our 42.5MW solar power project, adding more renewable energy to the national grid within 28 months,” Eng Njenga said.
“This project is going to complement hydro during the day when the intensity of the sun will be high, especially during the dry season.That way, we can conserve water for power generation, mostly at night,” he added.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Ghana: Electricity Trade Security To Dominate Talks At ERERA’s 9th Regulatory Forum In Accra
The ninth Regional Electricity Regulatory Forum of the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) will take place from July 24 to 25, 2024 in Accra, Ghana, with the theme, “Electricity Trade Security in the ECOWAS Region: the Interplay between National Policies and Free Market Principles”.
The Minister of State at Ministry of Energy, Republic of Ghana, Mr. Herbert Krapa, will set the context of the theme in his keynote address on Geopolitical Dynamics and Energy Security: Implications for the West African Region”, as he discusses the importance of electricity trade security in the ECOWAS region.
The Forum will feature presentations on free market principles in facilitating electricity trade, focusing on the relevance, benefits, and risks of implementing free market principles in West Africa, and the regulatory frameworks supporting free market principles.
This feature will also cover issues relating to ensuring the security of electricity supply in a liberalized electricity market, such as cross-border power trade and its impact on national security, as well as the role of regional cooperation in enhancing electricity supply security.
Presentations will also focus on the status of regional initiatives for developing electricity trade in ECOWAS, balancing national energy security with regional trade benefits, and technological Innovations and infrastructure development for enhanced energy security, among others.
The ninth edition of the Forum is expected to strengthen the role of key players, including national policymakers, market players, and ECOWAS institutions, in developing a regional framework for electricity trade that balances the need for the security of electricity supply of States with the principles of free market competition.
It is also expected to encourage cooperation among ECOWAS Member States to harmonize national policies and regulations related to electricity trading, as well as promote investment in cross-border electricity infrastructure to facilitate efficient trade and ensure supply security.
In addition, participants will deepen discussions on establishing mechanisms for the security of payments, dispute resolution, and enforcement of agreements related to electricity trade within the region.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: Dangote Refinery Getting Repeated Orders From Abroad–Says Founder
Africa’s largest crude oil refinery, Dangote Refinery in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has continued to receive repeated orders for its products from all those who have purchased the same since the commencement of production, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said.
The refinery has so far exported its products to some European countries, Singapore and offshore Lome.
During the weekend, the members of the House of Representatives toured both Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals and the Dangote Fertiliser Limited Complex.
The refinery and the downstream regulator have been trading accusations over claims of dirty fuel imports into Nigeria.
Speaking during the visit by the House of Representatives, Dangote wondered why a regulatory authority like the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) which should protect local industries is castigating the latter and even lying in media reports to justify the need to continue importation of dirty fuel into the country.
“I urge you to even set up a committee that will take samples at filling stations and take our sample because I must tell you that all the test certificates people are flaunting around are fake.
“Where are the laboratories where those tests were conducted? By doing this, you will be able to tell Nigerians the very truth that they deserve to know.
“Demarketing of a company by a regulator that it is supposed to protect it, is very unfortunate.
“We didn’t know that you were going to ask us to stop by the road and take samples from other filling stations.
“I didn’t know what you wanted to do until we got here and you requested a test. It is even good that it is your members that went directly to get our samples and I am sure you were shocked by the result.
“With the result, you can see that we produce the best diesel in Nigeria,” he told the House of Representatives.
Dangote openly challenged the regulator, NMDPRA, to compare the quality of refined products from his petroleum refinery with those imported, while advocating for an impartial assessment to determine what best serves the interests of Nigerians.
“We produce the best diesel in Nigeria. It is disheartening that instead of safeguarding the market, the regulator is undermining it.
“Our doors are open for the regulator to conduct tests on our products anytime; transparency is paramount to us.
“It would be beneficial for the regulator to showcase its laboratory to the world so Nigerians can compare.
“Our interest is Nigeria first because if Nigeria doesn’t grow, we have limited capacity for growth.
“Right Honourable Speaker and esteemed members, you have witnessed the results of the credibility test.
“I appreciate your wise counsel in procuring samples from the filling stations alongside our refinery’s product. Ours shows a sulfur content of 87.6ppm, approximately 88, whereas the others exceeded 1,800ppm.
“Although the NMDPRA permits local refiners to produce diesel with sulfur content up to 650 ppm until January 2025, as approved by ECOWAS, ours is significantly lower. Next week, we aim to achieve 10ppm, aligning with the Euro V standard.
“Imported diesel is capped at 50ppm, but as you have seen, those from the stations, imported by major marketers, fall well outside this standard,” Dangote observed.
He pointed out that high-sulfur content diesel regularly imported into the country often comes with dubious certifications.
He emphasised that the most effective method to verify the quality is to purchase the product directly from filling stations and conduct credibility tests.
According to him, this issue has resulted in both health risks and financial losses for Nigerians.
“Dubious certifications often accompany the importation of high-sulfur diesel into Nigeria, causing both health risks and financial losses for Nigerians,” noted Dangote.
“The best method to verify this is to purchase the product directly from filling stations where end-users obtain it. I believe Farouk Ahmed (Chief Executive of NMDPRA) speaks without sufficient knowledge of our refinery.
“We have successfully exported diesel and jet fuel to Europe and Asia without any complaints; in fact, we have received repeated orders, indicating satisfaction with our products.”
Supporting Dangote’s assertion, Vice President of Gas and Oil at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, highlighted recent actions by European countries like Belgium and The Netherlands.
“These countries have expressed concerns about the carcinogenic effects of high-sulfur diesel being dumped into the Nigerian market, prompting them to impose bans on such fuel exports to West Africa”, he said.
Mr Edwin informed the visiting Federal lawmakers that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, designed to process a wide range of crudes including various African and Middle Eastern crudes, as well as US Light Tight Oil, conforms to Euro V specifications.
In addition, he said it is designed to comply with US EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency), European emission norms, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms, and the African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards.
Noting that products from the $20 billion facility are of high quality and meet international standards, Edwin said it can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s demand for petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation Jet, with surpluses available for export.
Expressing concern over the controversy surrounding the quality of imported refined products into Nigeria, the Reps Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abass stated that the Green Chamber would establish a committee to investigate the matter thoroughly.
He emphasised that sampled products from various sources would undergo testing as part of this initiative.
The Speaker also expressed admiration for the infrastructure at the Dangote Oil Refinery, describing it as a significant asset in Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in petroleum products.
He noted that the refinery has positioned itself as a pivotal player, especially at a time when global concerns over energy security and sustainability are paramount.
“Today’s visit to the magnificent facilities of Dangote Industries/Oil Refinery section has been nothing short of enlightening.
“It has afforded us a rare opportunity to witness first-hand the monumental strides that your organization has made in transforming the landscape of petroleum production in Nigeria.
“The sheer scale and sophistication of this facility are awe-inspiring; it stands as a beacon of hope for our country as we navigate through the turbulent waters of energy supply challenges,” he said.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Nigeria: High Court Dismisses Manufacturers’ Suit Against NERC, Kano Disco
A Nigerian High Court has dismissed a suit filed by the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), challenging the recent electricity tariff hike by Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).
The court presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda, on Friday, July 19, 2024, said the suit lacked merit and, therefore, dismissed it without any cost.
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), in May this year, approved the hike in electricity tariff.
However, some aggrieved electricity customers, alongside MAN, Nigeria Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (Kano State Chapter), Tofa Textile Limited, Dala Foods Nig. Ltd., Mama Sannu Ind. Ltd., BBY Super Sack Ltd. and Super Sack Co. Ltd, dragged KEDCO and NERC to court, seeking to stop the implementation of Supplementary Order on Band ‘A’ tariff increase.
However, the court held that contrary to the arguments of the plaintiffs, the April 2024 Supplementary Order was validly made under the Multi-year Tariff Order (MYTO) 2024, in compliance with the provisions of Section 116 (6), (7), (8), (9) and (10) of the Electricity Act.
The court further ruled that the plaintiff failed to produce any cogent, credible and convincing evidence before it that showed Band ‘A’ customers were treated worse than other categories, therefore, it was only justifiable that Band ‘A’ users paid more than other category of customers, being the ones entitled to more electricity supply per day; therefore, dismissed the plaintiffs’ claim that the April 2024 Supplementary Order to the MYTO 2024 was discriminatory, unlawful and unconstitutional.
Following the judgment, KEDCO called for reconciliation with the aggrieved customers for the growth of the country’s power sector.
A statement issued by Sani Bala Sani, the Head of Corporate Communication, said the KEDCO Board and Management believed that manufacturers are very important and have affirmed that they would continue to support manufacturers with improved supply and cost efficiencies in the Kano.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com
Russia Considers Building Oil Refinery In Cuba
Russia and Cuba have discussed the idea of building an oil refinery in Cuba with the help of Russian companies, the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament was quoted as saying.
During a visit of Russian lawmakers to Cuba in recent days, the idea of a refinery construction has been discussed, Russia’s TASS news agency quoted deputy speaker Alexander Babakov as saying.
“The biggest Russian state companies could be working here,” the lawmaker said.
“Cuba has crude oil: it is logical not to import oil products but to produce them here,” TASS quoted Babakov as saying.
Russia and Cuba have held close ties since the 1950s when the Latin American country and the Soviet Union expanded ties as fellow communist states.
Cuba’s key crude oil supplier is nearby Venezuela. However, shipments have dropped in recent years, also due to Venezuela’s crumbling oil industry and the U.S. sanctions against Cuba’s staunch ally, Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro.
The crumbling Venezuelan oil industry means that less fuel oil from the country sitting on the world’s largest oil reserves is reaching Cuban shores to power the old power plants on the island.
Cuba’s power generation is heavily dependent on oil products—according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Cuba’s energy supply mainly comes from oil products, which account for more than 80 percent of power generation.
Mass protests erupted in Cuba in 2021, due to the crisis in Venezuela and its oil industry.
Early this year, Cuba, which has seen chronic shortages of gasoline and other fuels, said fuel prices would jump by 500% from February 1, 2024. The Cuban government can no longer manage a massive subsidy campaign that puts subsidized prices on nearly all essential goods and services.
Cuba has also imported some Russian crude since 2022. Then there was a year-long hiatus, before some Russian oil arrived in Cuba in March this year.
Source: Oilprice.com
Mali, Russia Discuss Co-operation On Nuclear Energy
The Republic of Mali has begun negotiations with Russia for the establishment of the country’s first Russian-designed nuclear power plant in the West African nation.
Aside from energy, the West African nation is negotiating with Russia for co-operation on personnel development.
A meeting was recently held between the President of the transition period of Mali, Assimi Goïta, and Rosatom on the prospects of nuclear energy development.
During the meeting, Nikolay Spassky, who is the Deputy Director-General for International Relations at Rosatom, informed the President in detail about the progress of the main co-operation projects being implemented in the country through the organisation.
Malian Minister for Economy and Finance Alousséni Sanou led the government ministerial negotiations team.
Projects in the fields of solar generation and geological exploration, in particular, were discussed in detail.
Particular attention was also given to the prospect of launching a strategic project to build a Russian-designed low-power nuclear power plant in Mali.
As a result of the negotiations, three memoranda were signed.
Documents on co-operation in the field of development of nuclear infrastructure and on forming a positive public opinion were signed with Bintou Camara, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Mali.
Bourema Kansaye, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Mali, signed a memorandum about co-operation in the field of personnel training.
The parties agreed to continue maintaining close contacts and periodically co-ordinate positions as joint work progresses.
Co-operation between Mali and Rosatom may be a productive step towards building a sustainable energy future in Africa.
According to the International Energy Agency, 43% of the African population, or about 600 million people, still have no access to electricity.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com