Energy savings opportunities at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Godwin Ogechi Unachukwu National Centre for Energy Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka Abstract terms of steady power supply it has been observed This paper examines the potential for energy sav- that the current tariff regimes are too low to support ings in Nigerian higher institutions with particular a profitable operation of the electricity supply sys- reference to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. tem (ECN, 2006). Activities in the electricity sector Electricity consumption and cost profiles for a peri- at present suggest that before long there may be an od of 10 years indicate a steady rise attributable to upward review of tariffs in order to sustain private marginal improvement in staff living standards, sector investment and participation in electricity increasing students’ enrolment, infrastructural generation and supply in Nigeria. This is especially development, preponderant use of inefficient elec- important for the universities where electricity is trical appliances and increasing business activities essential. Even though fully funded by the Federal within the community. Investigations show that government, universities in Nigeria should not about 51% of the total electricity consumption remain unconcerned or detached from global issues occurs in staff housing units, 16% in students’ hos- as the increasing drive for rational energy con- tels and the balance in academic and public build- sumption aimed at not only driving down costs but ings on the campus. An internal energy policy, also reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from awareness creation and establishment of an energy utilities. management unit in the University system are some Environmental externalities associated with of the measures that can guarantee good savings. energy consumption have continued to attract the This paper estimates electricity savings potentials of attention of the international community. Since the 10-20% in Nigerian higher institutions through well rise in GHG emissions are heavily related to anthro- articulated and vigorously pursued energy efficien- pogenic energy consumption, improving efficiency cy programmes in the system. of energy use is seen as the key to reducing these emissions. Energy efficiency is a priority because a Keywords: electricity, energy policy, energy efficien- 10-30% reduction in GHG emission can be cy, savings potentials achieved for little or no cost by merely improving energy efficiency (Yin-Liang Chan et al., 2007). Obviously this is very instructive to energy con- sumers in Nigeria particularly, institutions and 1. Introduction industries. Growing concern to improve electricity generation In Nigeria, there are twenty seven federal uni- and supply in Nigeria over the years culminated in versities (www.nuc.org) and several polytechnics, 2005 to the unbundling of the erstwhile National colleges of education and secondary schools that Electricity Power Authority (NEPA) and the encour- receive their funding from the federal government agement of private sector participation in the elec- and have resident staff quarters and students’ hos- tricity sector. Yet this action and all others earlier tels. Because of their peculiar nature as knowledge- taken by successive governments have not transfer-based institutions, the energy source pre- improved the situation. Although the electricity dominantly in use in the universities and these other reform agenda of government is yet to be felt in institutions for educational aids is electricity. 2 Journal of Energy in Southern Africa • Vol 21 No 1 • February 2010 Therefore, the issues of electric energy availability, Again, an energy audit defined as ‘a study to consumption and costs in universities with resident determine the quantity and cost of each form of students and staff quarters can present a formidable energy to a building, process ... over a given period’ challenge to any responsible administration. This is and energy surveys ‘a technical investigation of the because its availability or otherwise can have pro- control and flow of energy in a facility etc with the found effects not only on academic activities but aim of identifying cost-effective energy saving also on the social and economic activities in the sys- measures’ (Carbon Trust GPG 311) are both essen- tem. This is why university authorities in Nigeria tial components of an energy efficiency program. make great efforts to compliment the generally They provide data required to make informed deci- unsteady electricity supply from the national grid sions on which are the most cost- effective measures with diesel generators albeit at a very high financial of an energy efficiency program to be implemented. and environmental cost to fill the supply gap at the Generally, an energy audit provides an institution most critical moments. with better means for learning from past experi- Electricity consumption in the University of ences: a platform for proper planning, policy for- Nigeria, Nsukka, is mainly for lighting; comfort mulation, resource allocation and improving energy cooling; water heating; water pumping and general consumption. Presented in this paper are the results research activities. It is also the main driver in the of an energy audit and survey program carried out provision of support services like operation of com- at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Campus. The puters, photocopiers and other social activities. contribution of this work lies in the fact that this is Electricity bills and fuel prices in the past did not the first attempt in the history of the institution to present much concern to the University administra- formally evaluate energy and cost savings opportu- tion due largely to low tariff, low fuel prices and a nities in the University. The work will, in addition to low student population. The situation has however creating the necessary awareness, engender changed in the past few years. With a steady improved environmental performance and all other increase in students’ enrolment, dwindling govern- incidental benefits as well as provide a reference ment subvention, energy price increases, growing point for planning, budgeting and future activities infrastructural development and observed marginal with respect to end-use energy efficiency and man- improvement in the standard of living of university agement measures in the University. workers resulting from relatively enhanced emolu- ments, energy consumption and hence energy bills 2. Electricity situation in Nigeria have continued to rise. The fallout from these is Electricity generation in Nigeria rose from a mere institutions saddled with enormous overhead costs. 30 MW installed capacity in 1956 to 478 MW in Therefore, the issue of how to minimize overhead 1968; 2441.6 MW in 1981 and about 6000 MW in costs in the face of rising energy prices and increas- 2005 with a mix of 28.5% hydro and 71.5% ther- ing students’ population among other externalities mal (Emmanuel et al., 1986). Disturbingly the total is presently posing a formidable challenge to uni- electricity available capacity in Nigeria fell from versity administrators. about 4000 MW to less than 3000 MW in 2007 Energy efficiency measures are defined as ‘all (NNCWEC, 2008). The generation, transmission changes that result in decreasing the amount of and distribution losses in the grid over a decade energy used to produce one unit of domestic activ- (1991-2000) have been estimated to be about ity…..or to meet the energy requirements for a 38%. This in addition to ever increasing demand given level of comfort’ (WEC, 2004) offers a win- coupled with the general decay in the system dow of opportunity for energy savings and hence explains the reason for the persistent load shedding lowering of energy bills in the university. Therefore, and power rationing that has become almost to effectively address the issue of rising energy bills, endemic in the country. All these notwithstanding, implementation of energy efficiency programs in all end-use electricity in Nigeria are characterized with the universities in Nigeria presents the most reason- visible inefficiency due to lack of awareness and able and cost-effective means of achieving energy- continuous use of obsolete and inefficient appli- bill reduction while maintaining quality service ances among others. delivery. Furthermore, engagement in energy effi- Inefficient incandescent electric bulbs, for exam- ciency measures in the University will provide a ple, still adorn every home and institution in source of compounding gain in reducing green- Nigeria. Electric lamps are still left to glow in broad house gas emissions from utilities since every kWh day light along the streets and roads in major cities of electricity consumed or saved is equivalent to the in Nigeria. Industries still run on old technology with emission (or avoidance of the emission) of 0.44kg inefficient electric motors, drives, outdated boilers CO2. Energy efficiency programs designed and im- and combustors which in many instances have ini- plemented as part of the overall institutional devel- tial low cost attraction but very high life-cycle costs opment policy strategy will reduce energy bills as with regard to energy consumption. On the whole, well as enhance environmental performance. if proper attention is given to energy efficiency in Journal of Energy in Southern Africa • Vol 21 No 1 • February 2010 3 Nigeria the glamour for installation of new power 2007/2008