THE POTENTIALS OF BIO-FUELS FOR ENERGY IN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE
Energy is the lifeblood of Nigeria's economic prosperity. Access to clean, safe, sustainable,
cheap, and dependable energy has been a pillar of the world's rising wealth and economic
progress. And this is a requirement for long-term growth in underdeveloped nations like
Nigeria.
The rising worldwide energy demand and the negative environmental consequences of non-
renewable fossil fuels have sparked significant research interest in various renewable energy
resources such as biomass. If effectively utilized, biomass technology provides an appealing
platform for utilizing specific kinds of biomass for satisfying both urban and rural energy
demands. Various cellulosic biomasses such as agricultural waste and cattle dung are
available in our rural regions and can produce bioenergy.
DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Biofuel: This is also known as agrofuel and are mainly derived from biomass or biowaste and
as such is considered renewable and sustainable in contrast to the majority of liquid and gas
fuels we use today, which are fossil-based with limited world crude oil reserves.

Biomass: This refers to organic material from plant or animal used for energy production (as
electricity or heat), or in various industrial systems as the raw material for a range of
products. Examples include energy crops, agricultural and forestry products, and residues,
manure (from animal and humans), and microbial biomass.

Bioenergy: This is derived from bio-resources as the stored chemical energy produced
directly or indirectly from the sun. Bioenergy is generated from biomass or biofuel such as
fuelwood, charcoal, biodiesel, bioethanol, biogas (methane), or bio-hydrogen.

CHAPTER 2
Exploring The Link Between Biofuel, Economic Development and Growth
Biomass energy is generated using various processes, including solid combustion,
gasification, and fermentation. These methods generate liquid and gas fuels from a variety of
biological resources, including traditional crops (sugarcane, maize, oilseeds), agricultural
residues and trash (wheat straw, maize stover, cotton waste, rice hulls), energy-dedicated
crops (grasses and trees), and the organic component of municipal garbage.
The result is bioenergy products that supply various energy services, including cooking fuels,
heat, power, and transportation fuels. This variety offers the possibility of a win-win growth
route for the environment, social and economic development, and energy security.
Local advantages can be improved, particularly for the poor, by coordinating small-scale
producers to match conversion facilities' output volume and dependability requirements.
major businesses dominate the bioenergy sector in Brazil and the United States, but farmer
cooperatives are important in connecting these major enterprises to individual producers. The
idea of diversifying energy supplies and replacing big oil import bills with expenditure on
locally produced biofuels, would also provide expanded employment possibilities and
production, is a fundamental driver in the development of biofuels. Furthermore, Bioenergy
has the potential to contribute to the battle against poverty and food insecurity.
All of these would improve the community's ability to create economic activities to alleviate
poverty and increase food security.
Use of Bio-Fuels: Local and International Perspectives
In the year 2000, the United States generated around 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol. By 2005,
over 4 billion gallons of ethanol had been produced, representing a 150 percent growth in 5
years. The U.S. Energy Information Administration maintained its forecast for 2023 fuel
ethanol production in its latest Short-Term Energy Outlook, released Feb. 7. The forecast for
2024 ethanol production was reduced slightly.
The EIA has maintained its forecast that fuel ethanol production will average 990,000 barrels
per day in 2023. The agency now expects fuel ethanol production to average 1 million barrels
per day in 2024. A variety of reasons have led to the significant growth in US manufacturing.
High and variable oil costs, low maize prices, the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) from the
Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the removal of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), ethanol's
major oxygenate rival.
Also, Brazil's successful development of an ethanol-based biofuels sector has been the envy
of other countries more reliant on oil imports. Long before the oil paradigm began to turn
toward peak production, the government recognized that its enormous acreage of sugarcane
might be used as an ethanol source (Osterkorn, 2006). As a result, it provided substantial
subsidies to agricultural and associated businesses in order to change the source of
transportation fuels.
Nigeria’s Potentials in Biofuel Production
According to national data, more than 400,000 hectares of land in the country may sustain
high yield sugarcane plantations. At the same time, Nigeria is a major producer of cassava. In
the first case, the crops would be utilized to produce a 10% biofuel-90% fossil fuel blend.
According to a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), two potential crops have
been identified for the NNPC fuel ethanol initiative: sugarcane and cassava. Furthermore,
Nigeria is known to be the world's leading producer of cassava, producing approximately 30
million tons annually.
According to the NNPC's Group Managing Director, Nigeria would be $150 million
(approximately N21 billion) richer yearly if it adopted biofuel production and use as an
alternative energy source to petroleum. According to the official, as part of the project's
implementation, NNPC will fund specific research initiatives to increase cassava and palm oil
output in the country, and the endeavour would result in the establishment of numerous
ethanol manufacturing units at an average cost of $60 million apiece.
CHAPTER THREE
POTENTIALS OF BIO-FUELS FOR ENERGY IN NIGERIA
In Nigeria, there is a significant opportunity for the practical use of biomass energy,
particularly in the rural agricultural regions. According to research, Nigeria is blessed with a
reserve of 11 million hectares of woodland and forest, 245 million different species of
animals, and 28.2 million hectares of arable land, or around 30% of the country's total area.
Furthermore, according to Agba et al. (2010), Nigeria had 83 million tonnes of agricultural
leftovers, 13 million hectares of fuelwood, and 61 million tonnes of annual animal waste in
2005. The type of biomass resource accessible in Nigeria varies according to the country's
climatic zone. The following are the major classes of biomass resources:
Feedstock
Sorghum, sugarcane, cassava, and jatropha are among the potential crops for biofuel
generation identified in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) biofuel
program. While some food crops are being used as biofuel feedstock in rich and growing
economies such as the United States, India, and Brazil, the food fuel issue has been
recognized as a crucial factor to prevent a food catastrophe in Nigeria and the African
continent. The utilization of food crops as biofuel feedstock in first generation biofuel
production has been questioned as unsuitable for Nigeria, a developing country.
Canola oil, waste restaurant oil, animal fat, rapeseed oil, and palm oil have all been used to
make biodiesels. Wood, charcoal, grasses and shrubs, agricultural leftovers, forestry residues,
municipal biomass wastes, industrial biomass wastes, and aquatic biomass are all potential
biomass resources in Nigeria. Many academics have researched on producing biofuel using
locally accessible Nigerian biomass feedstock, which includes agricultural leftovers as well
as food and non-food biomasses.
Agricultural residues
Aside from the energy crops grown by farmers, various feedstocks for bioenergy production
may be found across the country. Agricultural crop leftovers, which are materials left on the
farm after harvesting the target crops, are among them.
Forest resources
Forest leftovers can be utilized to produce heat, power, liquid fuels, and solid fuels
(compressed wood in the form of pellets, briquettes, or charcoal briquettes). Fuelwood is the
most extensively available kind of forest resource in Nigeria. The energy content of the
fuelwood extracted in Nigeria is 6 billion MJ. However, only 5-12% of this energy is used for
cooking and other household activities.
Urban waste and other wastes
The Nigerian environment is heavily contaminated by massive volumes of trash, including
municipal solid wastes (MSW), food waste, industrial waste, and animal waste, which is a
serious issue in the country. City trash and other biomass-rich by-products can be used as
biofuel generation feedstock.
Livestock
Animal manure is another potential bioenergy source in Nigeria. Animal waste is referred to
as livestock manure. Nigeria has a lot of potential for generating electricity from animal
faeces. It can potentially produce 227,500 tonnes of animal waste every day, which, when
converted to biogas, would provide 6.8 million m3 of biogas per day.
The Potential Demand
The potential economic and societal benefits of contemporary biomass energy stem from the
fact that agriculture may confront massive feedstock demand. This feedstock must be
produced, harvested, transported, transformed into biofuels, and distributed before it can be
used. The magnitude of prospective demand may be clearly indicated by looking at
transportation fuels, where biofuels remain the sole renewable alternative compatible with
present combustion-engine infrastructure. Every day, around 21 million barrels of gasoline
and another 21 million barrels of diesel are consumed across the world. These figures equate
to a daily demand for around 30 million barrels of ethanol and 23 million barrels of biodiesel.
PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF BIOFUELS
Barriers to Biofuel development in Nigeria
a. Policy and regulatory barriers

Nigeria presently lacks a comprehensive renewable energy policy, particularly one focusing
on biofuel production. The development of a viable bioenergy sector in Nigeria necessitates a
strong, supportive policy, as well as a solid legal, regulatory, policy and institutional
framework.

b. Low level of awareness of Potential benefits of Biofuel

People's public and political understanding, perception, and attitudes about new renewable
energy technology are poor. The majority of Nigerians are unfamiliar with biofuel in any
form. There is a widespread lack of understanding about the many alternatives accessible and
the benefits that may be achieved from each of these solutions.
c. Technological and technical shortcomings

These include a wide range of challenges, such as insufficient resource data, poor product
quality, insufficient R&D activities, unresolved engineering problems, ignorance of
sophisticated manufacturing processes, and restricted human and manufacturing resources.
d. Insufficient-funding

Inadequate financial and institutional infrastructure impedes the quick adoption and
development of renewable energy technology in Nigeria, notably for biofuels such as better
wood burning stoves and the growth of the biomass briquetting sector
e. Uneven distribution of biomass resource
Despite the fact that Nigeria is endowed with abundant biomass energy resources such as
crop residues, fuelwood, agricultural crop wastes, energy crops, and animal wastes, and so
on, the reserves are unevenly distributed within the geopolitical zone and frequently occur far
from the major energy demand centers.
f. Low conventional energy prices as a result of government subsidies
Low conventional energy costs stifle the growth of alternative supply, even if they benefit the
majority of energy consumers in the short term. This research does not argue for high energy
prices per se, but rather for prices that cover all expenses.
Prospects of Biofuel development in Nigeria
a. Potential environmental gains
Offsetting GHG emissions entangled with burning fossil fuels, waste utilization, and erosion
management are some of the potential environmental advantages to be achieved from local
production and use of biofuel production and biomass resources. Clearly, biomass technology
has the potential to enhance the environment while also assisting in the resolution of certain
important environmental issues.
b. Socio-economic benefits
The increasing worldwide interest in biomass resources and biofuel production, particularly
in transportation fuels, provides opportunities for both domestic and international investment
in Nigeria and higher export revenues.
a. Benefits of accessibility to clean regionalised energy
Commercially accessible biofuels may transform renewable energy sources into more usable
and practical forms (gaseous fuels, liquid fuels, electricity, heat, or shaft power). Biofuels are
good candidates for offering decentralized energy services due to their modular character and
the fact that they are more uniformly dispersed than traditional energy supplies.
LONG-TERM OUTLOOK OF BIOFUEL PRODUCTION IN NIGERIA
Nigeria, like Brazil, is pursuing a more top-down, supply-led strategy than other countries,
many of whose policies are more market-driven. However, the government is seeking
knowledge from Brazil and intends to launch the business through a Brazilian import
cooperation. Brazil would first deliver gasoline-ethanol to Nigeria to build the market and
fuel supply infrastructure and test the ground.
If oil prices mirror forecasts, biodiesel and ethanol output will continue to expand at a rate
determined by the level of oil prices, feedstock costs, and technological advances.
Biofuel/Biomass related technology practices in Nigeria
While numerous technologies for generating bioenergy heat and power already exist, there is
a need to expand the use of the most efficient technologies available today as well as
complete the development and deployment of a number of new technology options in Nigeria
for effective and efficient biofuel production
In Nigeria, biomass conversion technologies are at various stages: some are in research, some
are in demonstration, and only a few are commercial. In Nigeria, biofuel manufacturing is
still in its early phases.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO DEVELOP NIGERIA’S POTENTIALS IN
BIOFUEL
Nigeria, as a country, should make use of the abundant biomass resources available. It is
expected that if government efforts to achieve steady, clean, dependable, and economical
energy production using biofuel are increased, well-structured programs and policies would
be implemented and pursued with zeal and tenacity such as:
1. A massive public awareness campaign should be launched on television, radio, and
newspapers to educate the public about the usage of biogas.
2. Government agencies should improve and increase credits and financial incentives to
stimulate the usage of biogas.
3. Farmers producing energy crops such as Jatropha, sugar cane, and rape seed should
also be provided incentives.
4. Domestic and industrialized development of various biogas digesters employing
diverse feedstocks should be studied. Laws preventing indiscriminate tree cutting for
fuel wood should be passed and aggressively enforced; this may encourage the use of
other energy sources, particularly for household purposes.
5. Suppose the government's efforts to achieve steady, clean, dependable, and
economical energy production via biofuel are to be increased. In that case, well-
structured programs and policies must be implemented with all eagerness and
tenacity.
6. People should be empowered and encouraged to own small to medium-scale
agricultural enterprises that generate chicken droppings, cow dung, and other
biodegradable substrates such as energy crops and agricultural crops wastes.
7. The government should commit resources to research and development, capacity-
building, and technical support for the development of the biofuels sector.
CONCLUSION
Nigeria has enormous potential for renewable energy generation, particularly biofuel. To
properly develop and exploit these potentials, new policy innovations must engage all
required ministries and governmental agencies in order to address all challenges connected to
the different links in the value chain.
The biofuel industry will transform Nigeria's agricultural sector, which is currently focused
solely on food production. It will generate thousands of new jobs as Africa prepares for what
is likely to be one of the continent's first biofuel revolutions and one of many desperately
needed agrarian revolutions.