REAN partners Netherlands for improved solar market in Nigeria
The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) has partnered with the Consulate of the Netherlands in Lagos with the aim of improving the energy market space in the country.
Ayo Ademilua, the president of REAN said that the partnership would create access to different funders and investors for their members and improve the quality of solar energy services in the country.
Ademilua said this during the 2024 REAN Conference with the theme: Unlocking Affordable Energy for All which held on Tuesday at Four Points by Sheraton, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“This partnership with the Dutch Embassy will open up opportunity channel for our members to be able to do a lot of stuffs in the solar energy space with the organisation.
“The most important thing is to be able to create access to different funders and investors for our members,” he said.
The president said that 2024 had been an exciting year for REAN because of some of the association’s achievements and projections for the development of renewable energy source.
“We received recognition from the Global Win Energy Council towards striving to diversify the natural renewable source of power currently in Nigeria, to take advantage of opportunities, and advance where necessary.
“We also activated some strategic members and grew our members in the renewable energy market space,” he said.
Ademilua said that after looking at the pool of membership for REAN, he realised that the largest renewable energy source organisation in Nigeria, Hydro was not part of them.
“So, I had to go look for them so that we can have them as members and I am proud to announce that Hydro is now our member.
“So, indeed, we have 99 percent of the renewable energy resource from generation to distribution seated within REAN,” he said.
The president said that REAN just finished putting together it’s Code of Conduct for it’s members to help to properly guide the activities of the association.
“We don’t have a Code of Conduct/ Quality Assurance in REAN and it is important for us to have one so that our activities can be properly guided.
“So, we decided to put together some of our knowledgeable members ranging from SAN, to engineers, energy professionals among others to help develop the code of conduct/quality assurance document for REAN.
“The document containing governance and structure has already been created and we will present before the year runs out,” he said.
Ademilua said that REAN was nursing the idea of setting up an independent testing lab, to test the credibility of equipment imported for solar products and distribution for improved service.
“We have not decided on it yet but we are just ruminating on what it will look like for REAN to have an independent test lab for all equipment that will be coming into the country.
“This will help to protect our members who have fallen into different scrupulous hands from time to time and improve the quality of solar services in Nigeria,” he said.
Also, Mr Chibuikem Agbaegbu, Secretariat Head, SNV said that the partnership with the Dutch organisation would have a tremendous positive outcome for the energy market space in the country.
Agbaegbu said that SNV was an international development organisation that would be implementing the projects from the partnership on behalf of the Consulate of Netherlands.
“The idea of the partnership is to get a collaboration to increase access to investment, project and opportunities between local companies and international solar companies.
“The partnership will also increase access to solar products and services for consumers who are looking for credible solar solutions.
“So, through the market space, we will be facilitating investment, financing, project portfolios for local solar companies mostly for REAN members,” he said.
Agbaegbu said that the initiative would help to increase foreign investment into the sector, which would invariably increase partnership between local and foreign solar businesses.
