Sustainability of Bio energy for Power Generation in South West Nigeria

Sustainability of Bio-energy for Power Generation in South West Nigeria S.Nubi, S. Morse, R. J. Murphy Centre for Environment & Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK    s.morse@surrey.ac.uk,... [ view full abstract ]

Sustainability of Bio-energy for Power Generation in South West Nigeria

S.Nubi, S. Morse, R. J. Murphy

Centre for Environment & Sustainability, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK    s.morse@surrey.ac.uk, rj.murphy@surrey.ac.uk o.nubi@surrey.ac.uk

ABSTRACT

Sustainability is a cornerstone of modem policy making and is prominent in the agenda of many organizations and governments globally. Central to sustainability is the provision and use of energy as an essential ingredient in both economic activity and social development. In a rapidly developing country like Nigeria, the electrical power supply is a core driver of sustainable development but in many respects is inadequate with a high dependence on fossil fuel and lack of reliability in meeting user demand. Alternative and renewable energy sources need to be harnessed in order to chart a new sustainable energy future for the country. Our aim is to identify and assess Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), especially its biomass components, as potential renewable and sustainable feedstocks for the electrical power systems of the South West region of Nigeria. We are applying the methodological framework of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) to assess the sustainability of the bio-components of Municipal Solid Waste as feedstocks for regional electrical power supply using the technological options such as combustion, gasification, anaerobic digestion and landfill gas recovery. The research takes the rapidly expanding urban areas  of Lagos, Ibadan and Abeokuta as focal points. The LCSA approach encompasses a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental sustainability of the various systems. Environmental impact indicators such as Global Warming Potential (GWP), Acidification Potential, Ecotoxicity Potential etc are calculated to represent the ‘environmental footprint’ of such systems. This will be complemented by parallel Life Cycle Costings (LCC) to indicate the economic viability of the systems through indicators such as Net Present Value and Capital and Operational Costs. The social sustainability aspect will assessed using a Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) using various social indicators to represent the social acceptability of the potential power generating systems. The sLCA is conducted through stakeholder surveys and interviews to evaluate the preferences and perceptions of civil society, policymakers and technology and project developers. The overall LCSA outcomes provide integrated sustainability evidence and comparative analysis of diverse MSW bio-energy power scenarios, together with uncertainty and sensitivity analyses, in order to inform policy and on-the-ground project developments. The results are designed to identify optimised pathways through the different technological options with regard to all the economic, environmental and social aspects. This research provides value and impact by highlighting sustainability improvements not only for the power generation sector in South West Nigeria but also for the entire waste management system of the region.The results of this work are expected to be useful for different stakeholders such as power companies, government bodies, policy makers as well as the general public. It will also act as an example of ways to attain a better understanding of the sustainability of such power systems in relation to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Keywords: Sustainability, Bio-energy, Power Generation and South- West Nigeria