March 20, 2018

Some scientists say producing electricity from the salt deposits in the country can be explored along with other renewable
energy sources, but warn that the technology is expensive.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) survey showed that salt is found in large quantity in Ebonyi, Nassarawa, Taraba, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Cross River,
among others.

The scientists who told NAN that it was possible to use salt to produce electricity, however, advised that rather than embark on such expensive venture, other cheaper alternatives could explored.

They said that the electricity that could be generated from salt could be very small for the country compared to other sources such as solar and wind energies.
Other renewable energy sources are biomass, including wood and waste wood, municipal solid waste, biogas, ethanol and geothermal.

Dr ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology said the Federal Government was actually exploring and developing more sources of renewable
energy in the country.

He said although government had not thought of salt as a renewable energy source, it could be used to generate energy.

“If every river in the world were to be equipped with salt water powered generators, the energy produced would represent about 13 per cent of the world’s current overall energy consumption,’’ he said.

Onu said the Federal Government was diversifying its energy sources and needed investors in the sector.

He said the government was looking at generation from renewable energy sources such as geothermal, solar among other renewable energy sources and
in no distance future, salt could be considered.

“ Salt is among the renewable energy sources we are looking inward to improve power production because it is abundantly present in the country,’’
he said.
The minister called on financial donors to help to invest heavily in the energy sector, saying such aid would complement government’s effort to make
power sufficient in the country.

“Power is very important for industralisation in our country.

“Why we are having this problem is because for very long of time, there was virtually no investment in power sector and a country ready for advancement must not do that.

“Utilising what nature has to offer in terms of water can be used as an effective way to generate electricity naturally and without causing pollution, which is what salt can do.’’

However, the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), said although salt could be used as an alternative energy source, but “the agency’s interest is not in that area for now’’.

The Director-General of NASENI, Prof. Mohammed Haruna told NAN that the amount of electricity that would be generated from salt would be very small, hence, the need to focus on other bigger sources of energy
generation.

‘’Salt electrolysis or ionisation produces electricity. But that is not the area of research of NASENI for now.

‘’The amount of electricity you will generate from that electrolysis is very small. It is in micro scale for now.

‘’However, since we have means of generating electricity in bigger quantity in megawatts using small hydro turbine and using solar panel, we are concentrating on that.

“For us, electricity method is basic not applied. So we concentrate more on applied research,” he said.

On his part, the Director-General, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Eli Bala said salt could better be used as energy storage, particularly from variable sources like the sun and the wind.

‘’Salt is used for storage. We use salt for storing energy, particularly from variable source of energy like the sun and the wind.

‘’They need to be stored. In fact, storage is one of the challenges in annexing renewable energy, particularly salt
can be used for storage,” he said.

A clean energy company like the U.S.-based SolarReserve wants to prove that molten salt can ail solar power electricity anytime of the day.

The company says the potential is there, but the price of generating power and the importance of energy storage must be addressed.

“Unlike solar and wind power, which can reduce the need for fossil fuel energy when the sun is out or when it is windy, facilities that utilise
molten salt can operate anytime of the day and can store energy for up to 10 hours.

“Even Google has plans to store renewable energy in molten salt, but it still needs to test its own system to see it it can be used commercially,’’ it said.

Mrs Gloria Obioh, the acting Director, Environmental Biotechnology and Bio-conservation Department of National Biotechnology Development Agency
(NABDA), said “the cost of generating electricity from salt is expensive’’.

‘’The technology is not as simple as it is because the salt has to be first produced and the cost of doing that is high.

‘’You know it will take through chemical process but our job, our mandate at NABDA is biological process and that is why we are using waste.

‘’Our original goal is not electricity; as a Department of Environmental Biotechnology and Bio-conservation of NABDA, our interest is waste management and the waste must be managed sustainably to make new products,
one of which is the biogas.

‘’Our mandate goal is not chemical but it’s possible to use salt for electricity generation. However, the technology is not as easy.

‘’It is a chemical process. You have to first of all make the salt from sea or whatever source you want.’’

Corroborating Obioh’s statement, Mrs Margaret Ofordum, a Chemistry Teacher at Government Science and Technical College, Garki, Abuja, said the cost of
producing the energy would be too high.

‘’The question is, how do we get that salt? How do we source for the salt?

‘’If we have a local way of getting it from around; traditional method, I think we are half way to solving the problem. But where we have to import or depend on Dangote salt or any company, the cost of production will still be high,” she stated.

Ofordum, who acknowledged that using salt to generate electricity is possible, explained the process.

‘’With the knowledge of electrolysis, you have to make a solution of that very salt and with the presence of poles.

‘’We called them electros, that is poles that we normally use, then copper wire, the ones that conduct electricity with that, you have already formed
a circuit,” she said.

When contacted, the Director, Solid Minerals, State Ministry f Environment, in Nasarawa, Mr David Matsai, said apart from Akwana and Arufu, salt
deposits were also found in Sarkin-kudu in Ibi Council Area as well as Jukun and Didango villages in Karim-lamido Council Area.

He said the ministry was aware that salt could be used to generate power and that was why samples of varieties of salt in the state were collected and kept in the solid minerals exhibition room.

Matsai, however, said there was no investment by the state government is not into salt production for now because “government has a lot of priorities”.