A comprehensive review on biomass and solar energy for sustainable energy generation in Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa (7th most populous in the world) and it is strategic to the realization of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. However, SDG No. 7 (affordable and clean energy) and other goals connected to the reduction of climate change are crucial for the attainment of sustainable development in Nigeria. This comprehensive review encompasses the discussions of the clean energy potential, obstacles to and stimulants of clean energy implementations, and renewable energy policies in Nigeria. Solar and biomass resources have been presented in this article because of their huge availability in Nigeria. Nigeria has the potential to produce an estimated 47.97 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) annually from biomass resources. Likewise, 17, 459 billion MJ/day of solar energy is incident on the total surface of Nigeria. The biomass resources which can be tapped for renewable energy production in Nigeria include Jatropha with high oil contents, sweet sorghum and molasses; food crops such as cassava, rice, coconut, cashew, millet, rice, oil palm, maize, and yam; agricultural residues and wastes from food crops such as cassava peels, cassava liquid sludge, mango peel, mango seed kernel, rice husks (RH), corn residues, oil palm derivatives, sugar cane straw, and bagasse; forest resources; municipal solid wastes; and animal wastes. These resources can be exploited for the production of biogas, bioethanol, biodiesel, briquettes and organic fertilizers through anaerobic digestion, transesterification, gasification, pyrolysis, and briquetting. There are also huge potentials for the deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) and thermal systems in off-grid, grid-connected, and hybrid installations. It can be concluded that the techno-economic feasibility and environmental significance of solar power and bioenergy for Nigeria's sustainable development is site-specific and subject to factors such as incentives and financing, research and development, public enlightenment, government's policies, and private investments.