TETFUND Gives FUD N27m Research Grant for Alternative Fuel
By Aliyu Dangida
HOTPEN – The Federal University Dutse, Jigawa state has received whopping sum of N27 million research grant from the TETfund National Research Fund to conduct research into hydrocarbon as alternative fuel to power cars and trains.
This was disclosed to FUD Newsletter by the Lead Researcher, Dr. Hafeez Yusuf Hafeez of the Physics Department, Federal University Dutse.
He said the use of hydrocarbon as an alternative source of fuel is an emerging field in the world of science and the research is aimed at exploring this new area whose raw material is water and sunlight adding that the team of researchers includes Prof. Abdulsalam Balarabe Suleiman, Prof. Chifu Ndiklar, Dr. Jibrin Mohammed, Prof. Rabia S. Salihu of BUK and Dr. Ibrahim Muhammad of Sokoto State University.
He said the research is relatively new in Africa but has gained some momentum in USA, France, Japan, Canada and Germany where cars using hydrocarbon is already in use while Japan has even gone ahead to power trains with hydrocarbon.
Dr. Hafeez said the research is a continuation of his Ph.D thesis which won the best African research in India because of the novelty of the area adding that no one is working in this area currently in Africa.
The Lead Researcher said the need for alternative fuel became a global concern due to the adverse effect of fossil fuel on the environment especially climate change and global warming adding that hydrocarbon fuel which is produced from sunlight and water is cheap, clean and environmentally friendly.
He expressed his gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abdulkarim Sabo Mohammed for all his support and encouragement to his many research ideas.