FG advocates green hydrogen as alternative energy source

The federal government has mulled the use of green hydrogen among renewable energy sources for the country as it transitions from fossil fuel.

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, during a meeting, explained that green hydrogen results from splitting water molecules into Hydrogen and Oxygen using electricity generated from renewable sources.

Nnaji, who stated that the resource offers excellent potential for Nigeria to address the detrimental impacts of climate change occasioned by the release of greenhouse gases from fossil fuels into the environment, said the green hydrogen severs as viable and sustainable pathways for energy generation, industrial development, environmentally friendly transport fuel, methanol production and fertilizer production among other economic uses.

He pointed out that the global demand for hydrogen would likely climax at about 700 million metric tons (MT) by the year 2050, with annual hydrogen production projected to increase by 9.2 per cent annually until 2030.

On his part, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Nicholas Ella stressed that with a proven gas reserve of 208 trillion Cubic Feet (TCF), Nigeria would continue to harness its gas resources while remaining open to exploring opportunities in hydrogen.

Earlier, the convener of the meeting and CEO Cognity Advisory, Mr Tope Toogun, said for Nigeria to grow its economy from the present $400 billion GDP to $1 trillion, Nigerians have to think outside the box and become innovative.