By Maduka Nweke, [email protected]
Nigeria is in dire need of larger electricity supply and improved grid reliability and security.
According to the Federal Capital, Abuja BBC’s Ishaq Khalid, the country generates too little electricity to supply its population of over 200 million people with total grid capacity hovering around 4,000 megawatts.. Reuters news agency reports recorded recently that the country has installed capacity of 12,500 megawatts, but on a good day produces only a fraction.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari, once said he deeply regretted the inconvenience caused to people across the country by simultaneous fuel shortages and a national power grid collapse. At the time he was speaking, he noted that the government had worked “tirelessly” to fix problems at thermal stations, which had coincided with a “dip in hydroelectric generation due to seasonal pressures”.
All these incapacitation forced a number of Nigerians to seek esoteric solutions to to provide and equip their various manufacturing companies with power supply which solar energy seems to be the needed solution. As at 2022, the solar energy capacity in Nigeria amounted to around 37 megawatts.
A significant increase of 12 percent compared to the year prior. That was a dramatic increase compared to 2012 which stood at only 15 megawatts. Africa’s solar energy capacity has been annually increasing since 2011, and had currently reached some 12.6 gigawatts. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is the most populous country and largest economy on the African continent. It is home to one of the fastest-growing populations globally, which has led to a rapidly increasing demand for energy that will be key to unlocking further economic development. This, presents a substantial opportunity to develop the rich natural renewable energy resources of the country and unlock low-carbon growth.
The Renewable Energy Roadmap for Nigeria was developed in collaboration with the Energy Commission of Nigeria and the additional renewable energy deployment potential to last up to the year 2050, with an additional 2030 focus to aid shorter-term policy development. The battle to combat menace of poor electricity encompasses all key sectors of the Nigerian energy system to provide additional context for energy policy discussions on how increased ambition in terms of renewable energy beyond current government policy and targets, could be realised.
Renewable energy can help Nigeria not only meet its energy needs, but also power sustainable economic growth and create jobs while achieving global climate and sustainable development objectives. Most Nigerians are looking elsewhere to provide themselves with electricity because the Federal Government has failed to generate electricity that can reach every nook and cranny of the nation. This desire by private individuals is carefully designed to capture the realities facing the country and sharpen its focus on key challenges and opportunities facing the Nigerian energy system. To that extent, the actions needed to realise this future are multi-faceted and included policy, regulatory and financial related actions to place Nigeria on the path to a transformative future.
Many Nigerians are holding tenaciously to the government supply of electricity irrespective of the efforts spirited private individuals like Prof Barth Nnaji are making to bring power supply to every corner of the nation. Some lay people ask if solar energy is better than electrical energy. But on a careful analysis, there are many reasons why solar energy is better than electrical energy.
Some of these reasons why solar energy is better than electricity could stem from the fact that the renewability of solar energy makes it better than electricity. It is a green and pollution-free source of energy. It does not affect the ecosystem anyway. Since erratic power supply became a major problem in Nigeria, other sources of electricity like solar energy & inverters has emerged to solve the problem. Right here, you are going to discover solar panel prices in Nigeria, where & how to purchase it. Solar panels converts sun rays from light energy to electrical energy.
Simply put, solar panels allows photon, or particles of light to easily knock off negative atomic particles called electrons to generate electricity. This flow of electricity can then be converted from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) with the help of a solar inverter which can then be stored in batteries. That, simply means that solar panels + inverter+batteries= Electricity. There are two major types of solar panels in Nigeria namely, polycrystalline solar panels & monocrystalline solar panels. According to experts, Monocystalline solar panel cells are made by forming silicon bars and cutting them into wafers. Generally, monocrystalline solar panels are made with a black hue (i.e the panels are black in colour) and are more efficient than polycrystalline solar panels. On the other hand, polycrystalline solar panels cells are made by melting silicon together to form the wafers.
Generally, polycrystalline solar panels are made with a blue hue (i.e the panels are blue in color) but are less efficient than polycrystalline solar panels and cheaper in price. The prices of solar panels can range anywhere between N50,000 to N150,000 in Nigeria. However, this depends on the size, power capacity and type of solar panel you are buying. On this, you will discover the best prices of different types and sizes of solar panels from different brands like LG, Trina, Skymax, Jinko and many other others.
In their 2022 World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency (IEA) found that solar energy has become the cheapest source of electricity in history, helping prove that solar is more effective than electric. With generation costs dropping below $20 per megawatt hour (MWh) and efficiencies reaching unprecedented heights and climbing, is solar energy better than electric? Well it’s proving that it not only has the capacity to carry baseload power demands, but that it’s also cost-effective enough to do so. Even with the now-proven merits of solar energy, many have been hesitant to move away from fossil fuels.
From reliability concerns to reluctance about making the upfront investment, critics of solar remain unconvinced. While there are limitations to photovoltaic technology and all power sources have their drawbacks, the electrical output, financial savings, and environmental friendliness of solar makes it a key component of the global energy mix.
While both solar and traditional power achieve the same end-user effects, there is one key difference between the two that has far-reaching implications and that is means of generation. Unlike traditional power generation, solar energy is converted into electricity as the Sun’s photons excite a semiconductor’s electrons to create an electric current. This is known as the photoelectric effect, and while other means of solar power generation exist (like solar thermal), solar photovoltaics or solar PV is the process by which solar derives electricity from the Sun.
The difference between the two processes has impacts, and understanding them will give a better foundation for comparing the strengths of solar energy to traditional energy sources. Traditional electricity generation is subject to the limits of thermodynamics, resulting in an efficiency of about 40 per cent and that’s on a good day. While solar energy has other limiting factors, the difference in generation mechanism means that it is not bound by thermodynamic laws. The result is that while current mainstream solar PV efficiency is around 25 per cent, the most innovative cells have an efficiency of 47 per cent. This number could be expected to increase as technology improves, yielding even greater power output.
According to Mr. Mascot Ibeneme, an electrical engineer, while conventional power production can take place anywhere, a turbine can be spun so, solar energy is more sensitive to location. Less sunlight is required to produce adequate electricity from solar than many others (one of the world’s leading solar producers is Germany, a nation with only moderate insolation totals), A minimum amount of consistent solar exposure is needed for PV to work. However, when the ease of decentralized electrical installation that comes with solar is compared to the cumbersome process of building a conventional power plant, the availability advantages of each appear to differ depending on the need.
Ibeneme said, “Because factors like insolation and weather can impact solar power output, traditional energy sources are frequently thought to outperform PV in reliability. It should be noted, though, that most solar PV systems come with batteries to mitigate reliability concerns, and as power storage technology continues to improve, reliability will become less and less of a drawback for solar. From hydroelectric dams that drastically alter the surrounding terrain to coal-fired power plants that emit harmful pollutants, solar energy is not only far cleaner than traditional power production but is also one of the cleanest power sources known to man”.
While arguing between solar energy and fossil fuels, Mr. Kabir Ogunjobi, who deals on solar energy said, “The previous inefficiency of photovoltaics coupled with their higher upfront installation costs, once made solar electricity more expensive than that of traditional power sources. But that is no longer the case. Government incentives like net metering, tax credits, and rebates have leveled the playing field, making solar a more cost-effective energy source than fossil fuels. In 2020, when we imported these panels from America, the cost of electricity ranged from 5–17 cents per kWh for that derived by fossil fuels, but was only 3–6 cents for electricity made from solar, “he noted. What are the main disadvantages to solar energy, if any? Although, every material, every situation has two sides, but, once the many benefits of solar energy are understood, a clearer picture emerges of how it compares to other sources. For instance, due to the their relatively high energy density, fossil fuels have long been relied upon as a baseload power source. The fact that fossil fuels can be converted into electricity anywhere has made them more available and reliable than solar until recently.
Advancements in photovoltaics have made solar energy efficient enough that when used with power storage devices, it can be relied upon to meet baseload power demands. And in places with no centralized grid, solar may be the only source of electricity available. Add to that the extremely harmful environmental effects of fossil fuels, and it is clear that solar is often a better option.
“At 1-2 cents per KWH, the cost of electricity derived by wind power is slightly less than that of solar. However, wind energy is not without its drawbacks. Most onshore wind turbines must be at least 280 feet tall to reach consistent, adequate wind speeds, so availability can be an issue. Although wind energy is certainly a valuable component of the energy mix, the comparable cost, reliability at limited heights, and room for technological improvement can make solar a more viable option.
Although many overlook its value as a feasible power source, geothermal energy is a valuable asset to the environment. Many countries (like Iceland) derive a significant portion of their power from geothermal energy as long as they are close enough to a geothermal source to be able to do so. This makes geothermal relatively limited in its availability, giving solar the advantage. While other comparisons could be drawn between energy sources like nuclear, natural gas, or biomass, many of these share similar weaknesses with the above sources, showing that the relative efficiency, availability, and environmental friendliness of solar make it a desirable option among other power.