Paras Energy, partners unveil 1,800MWh hybrid solar project at UMZA Rice Mills

Paras Energy and partners  have commissioned a 1,800 Megawatt-hours (MWh) hybrid solar power project at UMZA Oil & Rice Mills in Kano State in a bid to boost production and profitability, marking a major milestone in the drive for sustainable industrial energy solutions in northern Nigeria.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony in Kano, the Managing Director, Paras Energy, Yashwanth Kumar said that the project will deliver approximately 1,800MWh of clean energy annually. 

Kumar further stated that the initiative will significantly reduce UMZA’s operational costs, improve energy reliability, and cut carbon emissions, while supporting economic growth and environmental sustainability in the region.

He said: “This project exemplifies our commitment to pioneering sustainable energy solutions across Nigeria and West Africa.

“With nearly two decades of experience delivering stable and reliable power, Paras Energy continues to drive the green energy transition for the industrial and agricultural sectors.”

Meanwhile , he revealed that the project was made possible through impact funding from Empower New Energy of Norway, in partnership with Paras Energy. 

“Together, we are delivering clean, reliable and cost-effective power to one of Kano’s leading rice and oil processing facilities”, he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman, UMZA Group of Industries and the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), Abubakar Maifata, described the project as a remarkable achievement.

Maifata said, “Just a few months ago, we signed the agreements for this project, and today we are commissioning it.

 “We are happy about the supply of solar energy to our company, and at UMZA International Farms, we are glad to see this vision become a reality. We appreciate all our partners.”

The Managing Director, MD, UMZA Oil & Rice Mills, Muktar Khaleh, expressed satisfaction with the project, describing it as a reliable and cost-effective alternative to conventional power supply.

“We are commissioning a product that we are satisfied with, and I want to give credit to Paras Energy, Empower New Energy, Digital Power Huawei Nigeria, for bringing this project to our site in Kano.

 “I am sure it is going to be efficient. We all know the challenges of power supply and its high cost, but from our research, solar energy is much cheaper and very reliable”, Khaleh said.

He explained that while the company remains connected to the national grid, the solar project provides significant support to its operations. 

“We are not completely off the national grid, but we now have substantial support from solar energy”, he added.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Empower New Energy, Norway, Terje Osmundsen, noted that the global energy landscape is rapidly changing, with solar power leading the transition.

“The solar revolution is taking over—country after country and continent after continent.

“Solar energy is becoming the fastest-growing source of energy almost everywhere in the world”, Osmundsen said.

The Director, Digital Power, Huawei Nigeria, Quan Green, in a remark, said Huawei was pleased to collaborate with other partners on the project by supplying state-of-the-art Huawei inverters and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) technology.

Green noted that Huawei has operated in Nigeria for 37 years, providing innovative solutions to both local and international markets.