Comparison of Energy Use Patterns in Maiduguri and Yobe Flour Mills, Nigeria

A study was conducted on the evaluation of energy use patterns in two flour mills (Maiduguri and Yobe). Energy use and production data in the two agro-allied industries for seven years (1998-2004) were collected through the administration of a structured questionnaire. Results show that three energy sources manpower, electricity and diesel fuel were used. For Yobe Flour Mills, manual energy consumed accounted for 0.1%, electrical energy accounted for 7% while diesel fuel consumed accounted for 92.9% of the total energy inputs over the years under review. Maiduguri Flour Mills, manual energy accounted for 0.1% while diesel fuel energy consumed accounted for 99.9%. The minimum and maximum values of energy use ratios for Yobe Flour Mills were 0.12:1 and 0.16:1 in 2003 and 2002 respectively. The mean energy use ratio was 0.15:1. The mean energy use ratio for Maiduguri Flour Mills was 0.36:1 while the minimum and maximum values were 0.33:1 and 0.40:1 in 2003 and 2004 respectively. For Yobe State Flour Mills Company there was linear relationship between energy inputs and outputs with R2 values of 0.87. For Maiduguri Flour Mills, energy input and output relationships was best described by polynomial equation with R2 values of 0.99. Comparing the data of the two flour mills using t-test at 0.05 level of significance, it was found that there is a significant difference between their mean total energy inputs as well as their mean total energy outputs. The energy use ratios obtained show that neither of the flour mills efficiently used energy. Some energy use lapses were identified in the course of the study, which include malfunctioning of some electric motors and other auxiliary equipment and general wastage. Manufacture, Transport and Repair (MTR) energy was not evaluated due to insufficient data on the masses of machines available in the industries and on their usage. Thus, the results of energy use obtained from the industries are incomplete because the MTR energy plays a significant role in energy use analysis. The significance of the results obtained in this work is that since the level of use of each energy source was determined, the agro-allied industries would be able to relate energy use with commodity production so as to enhance production with minimum energy input.