• FG plans standards, sustainability in lighting industry
If the country complies with United Nations convention to eliminate mercury from products and processes, Nigeria is to have financial savings of $2.47 billion in fluorescent lighting phase-out by 2025.
The Senior Manager, Climate, Centre for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Colin Taylor, who disclosed this during an inception workshop on the ‘Minimum Energy Performance (MEPS) and Labeling for Lighting in Nigeria’ organised by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in collaboration with Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADEV) Nigeria in Lagos, said that Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) sales to be avoided and phase-out in 2024 (cumulative, 2024-2050) would be 10,306,161 lamps.
Other potential benefits of MEPS for lighting in Nigeria, according to Taylor is that the Linear Fluorescent Lamp (LFL) sales avoided and to be phase-out in 2025 is valued at 31,106,907 lamps, while the total mercury (kilogramme) in fluorescent lamp avoided (CFL and LFL phased out, cumulative 2024-2050) is put as 300 kilogrammes.
He said the rapid development, improved accessibility and affordability of mercury-free Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting makes some mercury-containing fluorescent lighting exemption unnecessary.
Earlier, the SON Director General, Farouk Salim, who was represented by the Group Head/Head, Electrical and Electronics Laboratory, Alewu Achema, acknowledged the efforts of CLASP in the areas of standards and manpower development designed to sustain a clean and efficient energy compliant to the environment.
He said the series of meetings would provide approvable consensus document that will qualify for an MEPS on lighting. “It will be an instrument that will guide the phasing out all products identified to contain environmentally dangerous materials. It will also set the pace to accept complying products, reject and phase out all others not complying with the requirement of the standard ozone depleting materials.
“MEPS for lighting will help and play crucial roles in reducing energy consumption, as it sets the benchmark for the energy efficiency of lighting products and drive the market towards more sustainable solutions. MEPS for lighting plays a critical role in promoting energy efficiency and sustainability in the industry, and it’s directly related to mitigating the effects of climate change,” Salim added.
Market Report Case Study for Lighting in Nigeria conducted by the Executive Director, SRADEV Nigeria, Dr. Leslie Adogame, revealed that CFL, which contains mercury are still in high demand in the Nigerian market as 7,457,254 kg (at cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of N3, 499,419,973.00) was recorded by customs in a five years period, while Nigerian Bureau of Statistics recorded 15,708,249.64 kg (at a customs value of N6, 753,342,394.00) within a six-year period.
“This high demand for CFLs at a time of no best management practice for this toxic lighting increases pollution in the country. Hence, the need for immediate sustained awareness and policy change on the benefits and transition to LED lightings.
“Relatively, the volume of LED lightings recorded for these periods by Nigerian Customs Service, which amounts to 2,214,155 kg (at a CIF value of N1,437,587,176) and Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, which are 4,380,212.15kg at a customs value of N4,340,619,068 for 8541400000: Photosensitive semiconductor devices; light emitting diodes. ‘110,595,351.47kg at a customs value of N163,045,999,027.00 for 8541401000: Solar cells whether or not in modules or made up into panels’ and 3,933,005.21 kg at a customs value of N5,353,142,953.00 for 8541409000.
“Other photosensitive semiconductor devices inform that there is an increase in demand of LED product in the country. As such, Nigeria can be said to be economically ready for a transition to mercury free clean lighting,” he said.
Adogame said the phase out of fluorescent lightings will not only allow the country gain the benefits; it also aligns with eight Sustainable Development Goals aimed at ensuring the world is a safe place for everyone to survive.
“In an era of concerted efforts towards climate change, our country should not be left out in the global transition to clean lighting to achieve actions towards climate change and sustainable living,” he said.
The Consultant on MEPS, Owoeye Olakunle, said there is an average of 1,935MW maximum demand from installed lighting in Nigeria buildings and MEPS on lighting can save up to 1,032MW of power demand.
Olakunle stated that the MEPS adoption aligns with Nigeria Energy Transition Plan – 2060 carbon neutral goal, climate change Act and Nigeria Energy Plan, adding that such projects will qualify investors for Edge certificate of International Finance Corporation (IFC), green lending programme under the Global Climate Partnership Fund (GCPF) and fiscal incentives such as duty waiver and tax rebates.
