The Generator-Free Generation

Being at the top of a list is usually great (who doesn’t want to be number one?), but not so great when you’re at or near the top of a list for, say, most extensive generator markets. Unfortunately, as of this year Nigeria ranks in at no. 2 with approximately 60 million generators, 12 million of which are in regular active use and emit at least 29 mega-tonnes of CO2 per year. The green future many of us envision certainly doesn’t include the noxious, grey fumes spawned by these incessantly noisy behemoths. While the movers and shakers at the forefront of African sustainability efforts are not shy about letting this be known, what some have yet to realize is that pollution is more than just an aesthetic issue—it’s a public health crisis in the making. As Mr. Ademola Adesina, Founder & CEO of Rensource Ltd. has poignantly noted, turning the energy sector green is about more than just promoting sustainability for sustainability’s sake. With ever-increasing urbanization and the projected population growth expected to come with it, it would be irresponsible not to start making the transition when the conditions are all but demanding it.

We are particularly fond of what Mr. Adesina has in mind for setting the record straight. “Nigeria” he predicts, “will become the first country where distributed power generation from renewable energy is the norm rather than the exception.” From our vantage point we’re already off to the races—the continued efforts and growing concern will keep on proving him right.