Optimise energy mix towards global energy transition management

BY SUNNY  CHUBA NWACHUKWU

Sunny Nwachukwu (Loyal Sigmite), PhD, a pure and applied chemist with an MBA in management, is an Onitsha based industrialist, a fellow of ICCON, and vice president, finance, Onitsha Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached on  +234 803 318 2105 (text only) or schubltd@yahoo.com

The Climate Change Summit (COP26) accord, which aims to reduce global warming (achieving a net-zero resilient future by cutting methane by 30 percent before 2030), has been observed to affirm the statement of the United Nations’ secretary general, Antonio Guterres that, “We need a rapid and deep change in the way we do business, how we generate power, how we build cities, how we move, and how we feed the world. If we don’t urgently change our way of life, we jeopardise life itself.”

Gutteres’s persuasive push to phase out coal would still not be extended to natural gas for now. Gas, though a fossil fuel, is a cleaner resource and, therefore, ought not to be treated like coal or crude oil, in that light. Its usage will still be relevant in the future of the global energy management solutions, even while the battle against global warming rages on. Therefore, there is still the need for environmentally compliant fuels for energy generation (fossil or non-fossil) to be engaged in the global energy mix and economic calculations.

Environmental sustainability is everyone’s business and responsibility. Otherwise, environmental impact (challenges/liability) is damn expensive, costly and better not be imagined in any way against life and the survival of living things on the planet earth. The good news about it, from the spiritual dimension, rests on the fact and hope that the Creator makes a way of escape for His creatures (natural reset mechanism), never to go into total extinction (once humans stop abusing nature, through the indulgence in reckless and unreasonable human daily activities, based on technological advancement and inventions). The ecosystem is divinely and perfectly structured and arranged, for a symbiotic coexistence through process of balanced continuity; by simple observance of subsistent and sustainable lifestyle or actions of “survival of the fittest” that occur daily amongst plants and animals. This is done within acceptable modes of livelihood for every creature. It is based on this premise that the scientific approach (through technology) to go beyond the usage and consumption of ‘natural gas’ for energy generation, is still being considered or termed to be relevant in the present energy mix of most economies, while collectively engaged in pursuing the global energy solutions management.

Natural gas is composed of numerous gaseous compounds in the petroleum industry, but the very attractive of all are the two important constituents (excluding methane gas), namely; (1) Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), used industrially for energy generation (once subjected through turbines to generate electricity), in automotives, and for heating of homes in temperate regions. (2) Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG, the C3/C4/C5 alkanes) used as cooking gas in most homes, as well as for other uses. The CNG and LPG in natural gas are saturated hydrocarbon compounds (alkanes/paraffins). These are majorly harvested as escaping gas while the extractive process of crude oil is going on in oil wells. CNG and LPG are known to leave little or no residue on the environment, when in use; quite unlike the other fuels sourced from crude oil/petroleum which, during combustion, leave behind (emit) carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as GreenHouse gas (GHG), for carbon emissions that cause global warming.

Natural gas (CNG or LPG) is for clean energy but not a renewable energy source (it is a known fact). This needs underlining as the energy transition discourse continues globally (from fossil fuels to renewable energies). Whereas the timeline for a total shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources – like wind, solar, etcetera – is still being debated as methane cut by different countries falls between 2030 to 2060, the utilisation of the natural gas, vis-a-vis CNG and LPG, should be vigorously pursued and intensively optimised within the Nigerian context (along its value chain, from harvesting, processing, to consumption by Nigerians). This is in order to ease Nigerians from the inflated prices of the imported LPG from north African countries at very high prices, whereas the raw material is abundantly extracted locally.

The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) company in Bonny exports most of its produce, while Nigerians presently go through the difficulties of experiencing scarcity, as well as the purchase of cooking gas at exorbitant prices (from N3,800 to as much as N9,500 for 12.5kg cylinders). That shouldn’t be, at all. There ought to be a midrange in Nigeria’s energy mix (in the interim), while the ongoing global energy solutions management is being pursued for planet earth’s sustainability through the fight against climate change and global warming.

The executive charge outlined by the UN’s secretary general, is that the habits and ways of doing things, while economic/industrial, political, social activities and so forth are pursued daily by all living creatures (especially human beings), need to be checked, and be done with moderation, to avoid the escalation of the adverse impact of our scientific and technological advancement against the natural status quo. We honestly and sincerely need to slow down, readjust, and seriously think green. By these strategic steps, a lot of damage done to the natural habitats (and nature in general) would definitely be put back on track, in terms of the global weather conditions.

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