Nigerians Can Generate Electricity From Sewage Water – Scientist

An  Associate Professor,
Industrial Bio-chemistry and Bio-Processes, Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Dr Egwin Evans, on Wednesday said the country could generate electricity from sewage water from homes.
Evans told newsmen in Abuja that Nigerians could generate enough electricity for their household use from their sewage tanks.
According to him, this can be achieved through green technology where sewage water with the introduction of some micro organisms can be transformed into power to generate electricity.
“Normal micro organisms from the sewage tanks can generate electricity for your house and when that is done the waste can then be converted to organic fertiliser,’’ he said.
He said the innovation if harnessed would solve the problem of inadequate power supply and waste management in the country.
The scientist, who described the technology as being safe, called on Nigerians to key into the innovation.
He solicited partnership between FUT Minna and private electricity companies to commercialise the innovation to address the power challenge in the country.
Evans said the institution had also produced ethanol for cooking stoves from Water Hyacinth.
“ Water hyacinth is a huge problem for us in Nigeria. It is a plant, sometimes it causes nuisance in our waterways and people cannot move.
“What we now do is to harvest and harness this plant and convert it to ethanol for cooking stoves.
“With this we have solved three problems of clearing the waterways, generating fuel for domestic use and the residue is converted to organic waste,’’ he said.
He said the technologies could be popularised for the benefit of the citizens through training and capacity building for young scientists who would then generate electricity and ethanol independently. Evans urged the government to encourage scientists with such discoveries by linking them with interested commercial investors to fund the project.
An  Assistant lecturer, Mechanical Engineering FUT Minna, Mr Lawal Sadiq said  that a mobile science laboratory that would aid practical science class delivery in secondary schools had been discovered.
Sadiq said the mobile lab, which was in form of a table, had all the components of a conventional lab that could be rolled into a classroom for easy access by students.
He said the equipment enables students to understand practical subjects with little efforts. According to him, the lab can serve for all science subjects ranging from biology, agriculture, chemistry and physics. Sadiq called for the commercialisation of the mini-lab by government to create jobs for graduating students, adding that the innovation would assist all secondary schools in the country in their science practical.
The Tide reports that the innovations were on exhibition at the 3rd National Education Exhibition which was held in Abuja on Monday and Tuesday.