The Application of Hydrogen as a Power Source in Nigeria

Recent discussions and actions geared towards preserving the planet and climate change advocacy have given rise to the urgent need to explore cleaner energy generation sources. Nigeria is not left out of this global action as the country also seeks alternative energy sources, one of which is hydrogen. However, what are the prospects for the application of hydrogen as a power source in Nigeria?

Like other developed economies, the President of Nigeria announced Nigeria’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060. This announcement was made at the 26^th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP26). In line with this, on August 24th, 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) launched its Energy Transition Plan(ETP). A further review of the ETP revealed that the FGN intends to utilize hydrogen for power generation from 2040.

The earliest known important chemical property of hydrogen is that it burns with oxygen to form water, H₂O. This agrees with the name hydrogen, derived from Greek, meaning “maker of water”. Hydrogen can be used in industrial processes, outer space fuel, and vehicular fuel. In addition, there have been studies conducted on hydrogen which prove that it has the potential to become a global electricity generation source.

Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity for power generation by combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The hydrogen reacts with oxygen across an electrochemical cell similar to that of a battery to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of heat. Many different types of fuel cells are available for a wide range of applications. Small fuel cells can power laptop computers, cell phones, and military applications. Large fuel cells can supply electricity to electric power grids, backup or emergency power in buildings, and electricity in places that are not connected to electric power grids.

The benefit of employing hydrogen as an energy source is that water and heat are the only by-products of its reaction with oxygen. Green hydrogen is the best form of this promising alternative fuel for the energy industry.

Nigeria suffers from inadequate electricity generation and a high dependence on fossil-fueled power-generating plants. Hydrogen is a suitable alternative and provides a viable solution to the electrification and emissions problems. However, it is quite unfortunate that Nigeria is only just trying to explore the prospects for the application of hydrogen as a power source.

Other African countries, such as South Africa and Egypt, have begun making efforts toward adopting hydrogen as a source of energy. In October 2021, the South African government took a step toward unlocking this potential by conducting a feasibility study to establish a hydrogen valley in partnership with Anglo-American Platinum, Bambili Energy, and Energie SA. The study seeks to identify the potential of hydrogen projects across the transport, industrial, and construction sectors. In addition, Egypt is spearheading the development of the largest hydrogen project globally to promote hydrogen as feedstock for green ammonia production.

Nigeria has what it takes to explore the application of hydrogen as a power source. This would help the country improve its energy access reach as many communities are still not connected to electricity supply. However, it goes without saying that for the widespread deployment of hydrogen in the country, there is a need for massive investments in adequate technology. In addition, the government and sector stakeholders need to have the will to drive the hydrogen discourse and establish policies that support the development of hydrogen generation projects in the country.