The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) yesterday launched and distributed 3,000 efficient energy stoves for women, Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs) and flood victims.
The agency said the stoves save 40 per cent of cooking time and are environment- friendly.
Also the stoves reduce harmful emissions, check desertification and save the nation’s climate, while fuel for the stoves will come from agricultural wastes.
The Executive Vice Chairman/ Chief Executive of NASENI, Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna, who unveiled the new innovation, said the stoves would be handed over to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development for onward distribution to IDPs.
He said: “This agency has launched and will distribute 3,000 units of the NASENI-Atmosfair Save 80 Energy Efficient Stove, jointly designed and manufactured by NASENI and Atmosfair to reduce harmful emissions, reduce desertification and, hence saving our climate. There is also over forty percent (40 per cent) saving in cooking time and environment-friendly compared to firewood and charcoal fueling methods, with increasing energy efficiency,” he said.
According to him, with consideration to the Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets for emission reduction by 2030, the use of energy-efficient cooking stoves provides a very high potential for emission reduction.”
Haruna, who listed the benefits of Save 80 Energy Stove, clarified why the agency has gone into its production.
He said: “ This Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will improve the agency’s eco-friendliness and carbon footprint, a positive contribution to climate change and service to humanity.
“Some of these stoves will be handed over to the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management & Social Development for onward distribution to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and those that have been affected by the recent flooding in the country.
“Let me add that the production of these stoves is also a viable, self-sustaining and revenue generating ventures, which will create thousands of employment.
“We are duplicating manufacturing facility for both the stove and the Brickets (Fuel of the stove) which is from agricultural wastes. The products will be manufactured simultaneously at Kano and Agada village of Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.”
He said NASENI has invented many renewable technologies to help the nation to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal No.7
He said: “NASENI hitherto had made several efforts in renewable energy technologies including biomass, wind energy and Solar Module Manufacturing Plant at Karshi, Abuja, Nigeria.
“Our progress in the production of solar cells locally will drastically reduce the per megawatt cost of clean electricity and making solar electricity available at a more affordable rate to the average citizens.
“The local solar cells development will promote affordability of solar energy as the prices will crash and increase proportion of solar electricity in our energy mix.
“This will help the nation to achieve the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal No.7 on “Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and Clean Energy for All. It will also help in achieving Nigeria’s NDC target on emission reduction by 2030.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Humanitarian affairs, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, said the launch of the stove would address the issue of climate change and vulnerability.
She said the invention would stop most women, especially those in IDPs camps from going to the forest to search for firewoods and getting attacked by bandits.
The special guest of honour at the launch and Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi said most households in the country cook over open fires, fueled by wood and crop waste with attendant releases of harmful smoke containing carbon monoxide.
He said the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that household air pollution was responsible for 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020
He said: “Women and children, who are typically responsible for household chores such as cooking bears the greatest health burden from this practice.
“The WHO estimated that household air pollution was responsible for 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020, including over 237,000 deaths of children under the age of 5.
“Health concerns are not the only negative byproducts of cooking over ‘ Open fire, the increased demand for firewood exacerbates an already serious strain on local forests leading to deforestation which in turn has a negative impact on climate change, and the smoke emissions contribute to global warming,” the minister said.
