- The Solar Marketplace will function as a new ecosystem, bringing together supply and demand and growing the solar sector in Nigeria.
- The Solar Marketplace aims to connect business opportunities, facilitate tailor-made networking, and interface between key public and private stakeholders who have solutions on offer.
On Thursday, the Consul-General of the Netherlands in Lagos, Michel Deelen, and partners launched the Solar Marketplace in Lagos. This is to replace fossil energy with renewable energy sources in the country. While speaking at the launch, Deelen said replacing fossil fuel with solar would mitigate dependency on the unreliable electricity grid and reduce carbon emissions from diesel-powered generators and the grid.
He said that solar provides the opportunity for continuous power generation in areas with no grid present. In addition, he stated that since the Nigerian government had set an ambitious plan for 30 per cent of all energy to be provided from renewable energy sources by 2030, it was imperative to take significant steps between now and then to achieve the milestone.
He noted, “Besides large hydropower projects, solar energy is Nigeria’s most important renewable energy source with great potential for on and off-grid solutions. The reduced cost of solar panels and batteries has made a transition to solar more feasible, and Nigeria is said to be among the fastest-growing solar markets worldwide. Estimations show that the solar industry is proportionally creating jobs at a rate six times more than other sectors in the country. Solar potentially impacts positively on Nigeria’s employment landscape.”
The solar Marketplace will function as a new ecosystem, bringing together supply and demand and growing the solar sector in Nigeria. With an online and offline presence, the Solar Marketplace aims to connect business opportunities, facilitate tailor-made networking, and interface between key public and private stakeholders who have solutions on offer. It will service solar players looking for customers, investors, technology, and skills.