- A consortium of experts have partnered together to develop technology which enables affordable, clean and secure energy access, to off-grid communities in Nigeria, by leapfrogging expensive centralised infrastructure.
- An integrated solar-PV-biogas mini-grid utilises agricultural and food waste to produce electricity, cooking gas and biofertilisers.
- New circular economy enterprises and supply chains were created, with a focus on social and gender considerations (especially benefiting women and low-income individuals).
This project has brought together experts from 10 partner organisations across the UK and Nigeria to develop and implement an integrated solar-PV-biogas mini-grid, in Ibiade, Nigeria. It has enabled the local community access to secure, affordable, low carbon energy, alongside circular economy services. With a focus on cassava processing, the demonstration site provides a safe, lit, covered environment for workers, alongside providing access to electrically powered cassava grinders and biogas fuelled garri-frying stoves, enabling the local community to transition from dirty/polluting forms of solid cooking fuel.
This project offers additional benefits to local communities by turning an environmental problem into an economic opportunity. Alongside the cassava processing operation, the site also has decortification machinery and biochar kilns installed, enabling the generation of fibre and biochar from water hyacinth, an invasive plant species in Nigeria. These extracted fibres are used to create artisan craftware (e.g. rope and rugs), whilst the biochar is used as a soil conditioner, both of which product streams generate an additional income for community members.
Empowering communities to manage the integrated solar-PV-biogas mini-grid was a key goal of this project. Dr. Ben Herbert, Technology & Innovation Director at Stopford, explained, “Our hope is that this handover will create opportunities for future enterprise and supply chain development, utilising the site's excess power to bring mobile phone charging and refrigeration provision to the local community.”
Chioma Ome, Country Director for Solar Sister said: “Transforming livelihoods in Ibiade, Ogun State, through clean energy showcases the impact of partnerships. By bringing together industry, local communities, and research institutions, we’ve driven economic growth and facilitated clean energy transition for the garri processing value chain in Ibiade. This will create a resilience for seasonal economies. Solar Sister is proud to have led the GESI, community engagement, and circular economy efforts in the EC8/ECOSMART project.”
Mer Best from Meyana Bioenergy said: “The recent implementation of biogas stoves in Ibiade, Nigeria, through the Meyana AD system, has had a hugely beneficial impact on the livelihoods of the cassava farmers in the region, most of whom are women. This circular economy initiative has improved livelihoods by providing clean energy, promoting economic growth, and reducing inequalities, establishing Ibiade as a replicable model for Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Delivery of the demonstration project will enable the generation of 32MWh/annum of electricity, for powering lighting, pumped water, cassava processing, and pipeline activities on site, alongside the production of 5,200 m3 of biogas, enabling the production of 23 tonnes/annum of garri.
Furthermore, the project has enabled clean energy access to 95 community members, whilst offsetting 100 tonnes CO2e per annum.
Project Partners and Roles:
- Stopford – Project Lead, Project Manager and Provision of Engineering Design Support and Commercial Assessment Activities
- University of Sheffield – Informing Biogas Scheme Design and Operation ia Complimentary Laboratory Based Experimentation and Process Simulation
- Meyana Bioenergy – Design, Construction and Operation of the Biogas Module at Ibiade
- Solar Sister – Community Engagement, Design, Installation and Management of the Integrated Solar-PV scheme at Ibiade
- Mitimeth –Establishment of Complimentary Resource Valorisation Activities (Biochar production and artisan paper, rope, rug manufacture)
- Inclusive Energy – Provision of Smart Biogas Metering Technology with Remote Monitoring
- Smart Villages – Community/Stakeholder Engagement and Market Assessment, Solar Micro-Grid Support
- LEAP Micro AD – Expertise in the Design of Small-Scale Biogas Schemes and Construction of a Novel Pilot 2-Stage Biogas Scheme
- Energy Industry Development Initiative (EIDI) – Technology Exploitation, Compliance and Sustainability Planning
- Nigerian Climate Innovation Centre (NCIC) – Capacity Building and Market Assessment
ECOSMART:2 is an Energy Catalyst project: an Innovate UK programme funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) under the Ayrton Fund, part of the UK’s International Climate Finance commitment.
Energy Catalyst accelerates the innovation needed to realise a just and inclusive clean energy transition across Africa, Asia and Indo-Pacific communities.