The European Union (EU) and Germany has provided access to hot water to 1000 secondary school students in Nigeria’s north-central Plateau state, OGN has learnt.
Coming through its Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) – €33 million financial cache provided by the EU and Germany to promote investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and rural electrification in Nigeria.
According to the NESP, 68 units of solar water heaters were supplied, installed and commissioned as a pilot project at the Government Science School (GSS), Kuru in Jos-South local government district of Plateau.
It explained the solar water heaters were provided as a grant, adding that they will supply hot water to 1000 students and staff of GSS, Kuru.
Solar-heated hot water to warm school boarders
Jos is typically a cold state when compared with the rest of Nigeria. At an altitude of 1,217 meters (3,993 feet) above sea level, the city enjoys a more temperate climate than much of the rest of Nigeria.
Also, average monthly temperatures in Jos range from 21 to 25 °C (70-77 °F), but from mid-November to late January, night-time temperatures drop as low as 11 °C (52 °F). Equally, in Jos, Hail sometimes falls during the rainy season because of its cooler temperatures at high altitudes.
The solar heater would expectedly come handy to pupils in GSS Kuru, who should be able run their early morning baths with ease.
NESP explained the initiative was a pilot scheme to demonstrate the economic and technical viability of solar water heaters in Nigerian boarding schools.
“It aims to save electricity and improve the students’ living conditions. The results of the pilot projects could serve as a basis for developing standards and incentive mechanisms for a widespread rollout of solar water heaters in Nigeria,” said the NESP.
It noted that the Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Simon Lalong, officially commissioned the pilot project in the presence of the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Suleiman Hassan Zarma; Head of Development Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Kurt Cornelis; Deputy Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany; Ms. Regine Hess, and officials of the Plateau State sovernment and members of the benefitting communities.
NESP is also implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
