The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in collaboration with the International finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, is developing standards for the development of solar products and systems.
SON, through its solar energy intervention programme (Lighting Africa), recently held a workshop to develop the framework for the adoption of the International Electrotechnical Commission/Lighting Global Standards, in Lagos.
Aim of the Intervention programme: Speaking during the workshop, Mr. Osita Aboloma, Director-General of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, who was represented by Mr. Achema Alewu, the Head Electrical Laboratory, SON, said:
“The workshop was aimed at driving the needed ideas for the deployment of quality Pico PV systems capable of ensuring clean, safe, low cost, durable and efficient off-grid energy of less than or equal to 350 watts and 35 volts peak DC regardless of locations.
“We are all familiar with the energy situations in Nigeria; a new world order is clean, reliable and efficient energy. Only alternative sources of power can deliver on this and with its added environmental sustainability because of the much talked about global warming. They can be harnessed without the release of harmful pollutants to the environment and so, have a limited ability to deplete the ozone layer.”
Need for market penetration: Also present during the workshop is Mr Allwell Nwankwo, the Programme Lead, Lighting Africa. He said the following:
“The IFC-World Bank project is to help the country grow in the area of market penetration for solar consumables through market support and development activities and in promoting quality assurance in the lighting of Africa and the development of a set of standards to give confidence and value for money as the issue of quality assurance is even more critical now as the market is growing, and there’s a need to check the influx of solar items.”
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Meanwhile, Mr. Allwell expressed his profound gratitude to the nation’s Standard Organisation for the group’s collaborative efforts since the year 2015 towards quality assurance in the solar industry, through the provision of the needed expertise and support to the International Financial Corporation in an attempt to avoid market spoilage.
