Eleventh International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses

Abstract

Demand for energy and associated services to meet social and economic development and improvement in human welfare and health is on the increase worldwide. Energy services are needed to meet the basic human needs such as lighting, cooking, space comfort, mobility and communication and to serve productive processes. Fossil fuel utilizations have continued to dominate energy supply trend more especially in the third world countries, leading to a rapid increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from burnt of hydrocarbon fuels have contributed significantly to the historic increase in atmospheric GHG concentrations. There are many options for lowering GHG emissions from the energy system while still satisfying the demand for energy services at sustainable manner. The available options include energy conservation and efficiency, fossil fuel switching, renewable energy utilization, nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCS). A comprehensive evaluation of any portfolio of mitigation options would involve an evaluation of their respective mitigation potential as well as their contribution to sustainable development and the associated risks and costs. In this paper the role of the deployment of renewable energy technologies can play in the socio-economic development and climate change mitigation is advanced. Drawing from practical experience, this paper further provides highlights of renewable energy applications for sustainable socio-economic growth and climate change mitigation in Nigeria. The deployment and utilization of renewable energy technologies for agricultural and industrial production is a panacea for a sustainable socio-economic development in Nigeria more especially in the rural communities.