University of California, Davis
Program for International Energy Technologies (PIET)
February 2011 Site visit to Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Trip Summary by Dr. Kurt Kornbluth & Bryan Pon
Contents
 Overview
 About D-Lab
 Visit objectives
 Itinerary
 Observations
 Outcomes
 Next steps
 Appendix A. Organizations
 Appendix B. Energy diary
Overview
The UC Davis D-Lab team was introduced to the SUNGAS (Sustainable use of Nigeria’s Gas and
Renewable Energy) project in late 2010 through Brian Shaad of VDI (Value Development Initiatives).
Ensuing dialog with SUNGAS partners IIED (International Institute for Economic Development) and
NDWC (Niger Delta Wetlands Center) determined that a site visit from D-Lab could offer immediate
benefits to NDWC’s renewable energy initiative as well as potential long-term partnership opportunities.
This report details the activities and outcomes of this initial site visit.
About D-Lab
Part of the UC Davis Program for International Energy Technologies (PIET), D-Lab is a graduate program
combining curriculum and applied field research around energy solutions in emerging markets.
Interdisciplinary D-Lab student teams work on projects such as off-grid lighting, small-scale biogas, postharvest produce drying, and water pumping/drip irrigation. The projects are defined by in-country
partners who serve as the “client” for each project, helping the student teams to refine the problem
definition and focus research and prototyping to best develop viable solutions. A student team is
currently researching off-grid lighting and micro-power technologies with Aduku as the target
community.
Visit objectives
The visit was envisioned as an opportunity for all organizations to meet and work together to better
understand the target community of Aduku as well as each organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and
opportunities for engagement. A critical aspect of the visit was the participatory nature of the
workshops and activities—key members of Aduku and other neighboring communities were invited to
attend and fully participate in the activities.
Objectives defined before the trip were:


To introduce D-Lab to the SUNGAS partners IIED and NDWC
For D-Lab to conduct capacity-building with the NDWC and IED teams, as well as Aduku
community members


To conduct a site visit to local target community Aduku
To assess opportunities for D-Lab to partner with NDWC on with the current and future
renewable energy projects in Bayelsa state
Itinerary
The D-Lab visit occurred over 6 days, from February 1 through February 6, 2011.
February 1
 Overview of Niger Delta, historical
development perspective (Miriam,
NDWC)
 Aduku community snapshot, including
community mapping (Sophy and Dede,
NDWC)
 Introduction of D-Lab (Kurt, D-Lab)
February 2
 Community transect walk - team
walked full length of Aduku
o Informal interviews around
energy use
 Generator owners
 Gari production
 Kerosene usage
 Site visits of different failed projects,
primarily water pumping
 Site visit of one successful water pump
project
February 3
 Workshops and training (Kurt and
Bryan, D-Lab)
o Is the project sustainable? DLab approach with the 4 Lenses
of Sustainability
o Off-grid lighting technology and
products
o Product focus groups
 Training with Sophy
and Dede as
moderators
February 4
 Niger Delta project challenges
(Emmanuel, NDWC)
o Review of technical, political,


financial issues facing NGOs
Micro-grid (Brian Shaad, VDI)
o System overview and discussion
of non-technical challenges
with deployment
D-Lab workshops (Kurt and Bryan, DLab)
o Energy and power
 Review of physics and
basic calculations
 Hands-on
measurement and
assessment of
appliances and
generators
 Solar technology and
system sizing
o Income-generation business
planning
 Customer
segmentation and
value proposition
o Research tools
 Energy diary, surveys,
focus groups
February 5
 Field research around generators,
electrical supply outlets, existing LED
lanterns
 Visit to utility, Power Holding Company
of Nigeria (PHCN)
 Field trip to gas flare and gas turbine
 Closing meeting with discussion and
next steps
Observations and learning
The visit and workshops at NDWC resulted in significant learning about energy use in the local
community and Niger Delta at large. It also allowed the participating organizations to understand each
other’s approach and how we may best work together in the future. Participation by and interaction
with the local community members seemed to be key. Beyond the expected contributions they provided
in terms of communicating community assets and priorities, the community representatives were able
to experience first-hand the process of NGOs working together and challenges they face, and participate
in that dialog. NDWC organized this participatory element very well.

Aduku energy usage
The team learned about various kinds of energy usage within Aduku and neighboring
communities. A key finding was the prevalence of generators, and how this existing installed
capacity affects potential alternative solutions. The social status implications of the generator
culture are also likely to play a significant role.
o Electricity – A significant number of Aduku households, approximately 30 of 100, have
small generators (“Pass My Neighbor”) that are used to power appliances such as TVs,
freezers, stereos, and lights. Generator size and usage pattern varies by household, but
preliminary research indicated many households turn on their generator around 5 p.m.
and run it until 10 p.m. This high penetration of generators poses potential issues for
introduction of alternative energy or lighting sources.
o Lighting – Households with generators will use the generator to power standard AC
bulbs hung inside and outside the house. After the generator is shut off, households will
use kerosene wick lamps or candles for lighting to save on fuel costs of running the
generator just for lighting.
o Cooking – Most households use wood to cook with. Some use kerosene stoves. Source
and cost of wood is unclear; some report collecting it in the forest for free, however
wood seems to be mangrove, a type not readily available in this area. Women cooking
gari prefer longer, straight branches to fit into the traditional stove.
o Commercial – Mechanical grinders/presses for palm oil were powered by diesel engines.
There was one carpenter.

SUNGAS partner
The NDWC team had conducted a thorough community mapping, including a transect walk with
resulting spatial mapping of community resources, households, and other infrastructure. The
NDWC team clearly possesses strong community engagement and participatory rural
assessment (PRA) skills, excellent management, and local credibility. The team could benefit
from more technical capacity in order to evaluate the feasibility and sustainability of different
options for renewable energy lighting and power applications. This suggests a good match
between NDWC strengths and D-Lab strengths for energy projects.

Local development environment
It is clear that development initiatives in the Niger Delta have a problematic history, which
continues to affect current projects. The state-run Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) has a poor track record of implementing social development projects. A common story
was that a NDDC project was started, but was never finished, and the funding disappeared.
Many people in the community as well as at NDWC suggested that as soon as the subcontractor
wins the tender from NDDC, they put in minimal effort often leaving projects unfinished. In
Aduku alone there is a failed NDDC solar water pump and a failed World Bank solar water pump.
In addition, this environment has created issues with community entitlement and organized
resistance in the form of community gatekeepers. NDWC reports community leaders demanding
large sums of money and then reneging to demand more once the initial demand is met; youth
labor “unions” that must be paid off in order to hire local laborers; and other forms of
intimidation and corruption at the local level. It is critical in this environment that any
development projects must focus on feasibility and sustainability. To this end, the teams
discussed the need for a clear, simple “win” as a first step or first phase of the SUNGAS project.
Achieving this would go a long way toward winning community trust and engagement, and pave
the way for more complex or experimental projects down the road.
Outcomes
 Introduction to Aduku community
o Preliminary exposure to political, economic, geographical issues of community
o Understanding of current resources and priority of needs
 Capacity-building with SUNGAS staff and local community leaders
o Energy education
o Energy project feasibility and assessment
o Off-grid lighting technology evaluation
o Income-generating business planning
o Research and data-gathering tools
 Preliminary research on energy usage in Aduku and Bayelsa
o Electricity, lighting, cooking, and commercial energy end-uses
 Establish relationship between D-Lab, NDWC, IIED, and VDI
 Agreement on likely project solutions
o Community water utility and micro-grid
o Decision matrix for project selection
Next steps
 NDWC to perform additional, follow-up research specifically around generator usage, appliance
loads, and lighting (energy diary, measuring plug-loads)
 Additional feasibility assessment for micro-grid solution for Aduku
o Costs for locally sourced materials
o Willingness to pay assessment with community members
o Demonstration unit
 D-Lab Teams to model cost and technical details for micro-grids appropriate for communities
like Aduku
 D-Lab to train NDWC technicians on using software modeling to develop an optimal micropower grid configuration, possibly by combining generators and solar
Appendix A. Organizations

D-Lab – University of California, Davis
Part of the UC Davis Program for International Energy Technologies (PIET), D-Lab is a graduate
school program combining curriculum and applied field research to develop energy solutions in
emerging markets. Interdisciplinary D-Lab student teams work on projects such as off-grid
lighting, small-scale biogas, post-harvest produce drying, and water pumping/drip irrigation. The
projects are defined by in-country partners who serve as the “client” for each project, helping
the student teams to refine the problem definition and focus research and prototyping to best
develop viable solutions. A student team is currently researching off-grid lighting and micropower technologies with Aduku as the target community.

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
As an independent international research organization, IIED are specialists in linking local to
global. IIED works with some of the world's most vulnerable people to ensure they have a say in
the policy arenas that most closely affect them — from village councils to international
conventions. Through close collaboration with partners at the grassroots, IIED makes its
research and advocacy relevant to their needs and alive to their realities.

Niger Delta Wetlands Center (NDWC)
With a well-equipped resource center located in Yenegoa, Bayelsa state, NDWC is dedicated to
the study, conservation and management of the natural resources of the Niger Delta and to the
improvement of the quality of life of its people. Much of the Niger Delta is characterized by
swamps and wetlands, which are valuable globally for their unstudied biodiversity, but
constitute a remote and difficult terrain for transportation and economic activity. Human life is
further challenged by the locally intense oil industry activities. NDWC uses participatory
approaches to involve local people in evaluating their resources, and in planning for their use
and management in ways that focus on sustainability. Thus, NDWC increasingly encourages the
adoption of science and technology such as renewable energy to energize development
activities and empower people to access external resources.

Value Development Initiatives (VDI)
VDI brings donors, the private sector, and investors together into commercial, socially beneficial,
value chain-based joint ventures. VDI’s core competency is building relationships and designing
partnerships that provide sustainable and scalable value for companies, donors, and the
communities in which they operate. In particular, VDI provides three general services to ensure
successful project implementation: opportunities assessment, joint venture development, and
continued stakeholder engagement.
Appendix B. Energy diary template draft
Diary Guidelines (for NDWC Staff)
* During this pre-survey interview, staff can also ask to be shown the different appliances and lighting
products used, and take a snap of them for reference later.
* When staff returns in 1 week to collect the diary, they should review the entries with the participant to
make sure that the diary has been filled out correctly, and make any notes in the space provided. Staff
should also ask the participant about kerosene and candle usage (for lighting), and fuel usage (for
generator) to estimate consumption and cost.
* The diaries are set up for 7 days and listed as Day 1, Day 2, etc. so that they can be started any day of
the week. Because usage on weekends might be different, it could be important for staff to indicate on
the chart which days were the weekend.
* If the participant uses more than one item (for example, two candles burning at same time) indicate
two XX in that space.
* If the participant uses an item not listed, staff can write in that item during the pre-survey interview