The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has received N12 million in seed grants from the Africa Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED) of the World Bank. This funding has been distributed to 12 student research groups.
The Director of ACE-SPED, Prof. Emenike Ejiogu, announced during the award ceremony at UNN on Tuesday that the grants were awarded to specific student research teams that have generated inventive concepts for the advancement of sustainable energy and power. The individual emphasized that the twelve study topics exhibited favourable potential for commercialization and would provide resolutions to energy and power obstacles in the African sub-region.
According to Professor Ejiogu, who concurrently holds the position of Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UNN, the primary objective of the ACE-SPED Innovation Seed Grants is to provide financial assistance for research endeavours that are in line with the innovation goals of the Centre. The objectives encompass the development of electric power systems, the utilization of renewable energy sources, the conversion of waste into energy, the conservation and management of energy, the assessment and forecasting of resources, and the promotion of sustainable energy.
In addition, Prof. Ejiogu stated that the chosen research groups would undergo rigorous supervision and get further financial support to facilitate their transformation into organizations and companies, should they achieve success in future competitions. The speaker placed significant emphasis on the fact that ACE-SPED encompasses more than just theoretical study since it actively involves students and faculty in entrepreneurship and innovation endeavours.
In his words: “The ACE-SPED is not just a theoretical centre of research. By our mandate, we also engage students and staff in issues such as entrepreneurship and innovation.”
Credits: Allschoolabs, ALLSCHOOL
