Barcholder:

My friend, please be assured that this is EXACTLY what I'm doing. We will shortly be launching a Solar Installation Company in Nigeria, and our stated aim is to finally eliminate the power problems we have suffered for years. As a diasporan, I see it as my duty to add my quota to the mother land.

I have secured enormous financial backing from both Nigerian and UK banks, and will certainly make a huge difference to the country. Nigeria is probably the country most suited to Solar adoption in the world, and my company is determined to make widespread adoption a reality for all NIgerians.

I cannot post direct links to our company on here, or else I'll be banned. However, I do have a massive thread going somewhere else on these boards which i can link you to. Please feel free to read and contribute. Help us to free Nigeria from Energy bondage. Its the only way the country will reach its full potential.

https://www.nairaland.com/1234695/easiest-way-get-rich/3

tbaba1234: Solar energy requires government incentives such as tax rebates to be attractive.. There is no one who would invest in a solar plant without incentives... It does not make any sense.

djsmoothy:
@OP, This man has given us the down-side of solar panel i was about to buy it for my house in uk 4.0kw will cost me 8k pounds that's 16 panels on my roof this will only generate 3500kw in a yr for my 2 bedroom house, last yr with British gas i used over 6000kw that means solar will not be a good idea for my house apart from the feed-in tariff and also if you read the small print it tells you they can't guarantee it will generate the full power. So solar panel will not power the above and if it will then you will spend over N5m to build it crazy

iRichards: Hi Barcholder,

What is the typical cost of setting up a 5KVA Solar Power System in Nigeria?

Cheers.

MODIFIED

Hi Beaf...saw your post after posting.
How much did your system cost?
Thanks

Localamos: How would one access the financing option?

Barcholder:

No there isn't. You are totally misinformed. The cost for a typical family to instantly become completely energy independent is N1.4m. That's it. No Research and Development is necessary. This is basic technology that is extensively used across the world. Why on earth do Nigerians think they are somehow unique? Every Western country is pushing Solar adoption as the answer to the energy crises being experienced, and these are countries that receive less than half the solar radiation Nigeria gets. Put another way, its more than twice as expensive in these countries to go solar.

And yet, Nigerians still come out with these factually incorrect statements. We are obviously waiting for the white man to go over and teach us about it, then we'll all say, Oh yes, you are right. Here are some facts for you - please feel free to research them:

1. Over 10% of all Australian households (850,000) now use solar to power their homes
2. Germany (a country with hardly any sunshine) now produces 22GW (or 22,000MW) of energy through solar. To give that some perspective, the entire Nigerian national grid produces 5GW (or 5,000MW).

Please reappraise your facts.

Biggyd2:

Respect Sir! That's all I wanted to hear. Not those pointing accusing fingers from the diaspora. You can be rest assured, that if this is affordable, many Nigerians will turn to this form of alternative power supply and they will encourage you.

Barcholder:

No there isn't. You are totally misinformed. The cost for a typical family to instantly become completely energy independent is N1.4m. That's it. No Research and Development is necessary. This is basic technology that is extensively used across the world. Why on earth do Nigerians think they are somehow unique? Every Western country is pushing Solar adoption as the answer to the energy crises being experienced, and these are countries that receive less than half the solar radiation Nigeria gets. Put another way, its more than twice as expensive in these countries to go solar.

And yet, Nigerians still come out with these factually incorrect statements. We are obviously waiting for the white man to go over and teach us about it, then we'll all say, Oh yes, you are right. Here are some facts for you - please feel free to research them:

1. Over 10% of all Australian households (850,000) now use solar to power their homes
2. Germany (a country with hardly any sunshine) now produces 22GW (or 22,000MW) of energy through solar. To give that some perspective, the entire Nigerian national grid produces 5GW (or 5,000MW).

Please reappraise your facts.

Barcholder:

My friend, please be assured that this is EXACTLY what I'm doing. We will shortly be launching a Solar Installation Company in Nigeria, and our stated aim is to finally eliminate the power problems we have suffered for years. As a diasporan, I see it as my duty to add my quota to the mother land.

I have secured enormous financial backing from both Nigerian and UK banks, and will certainly make a huge difference to the country. Nigeria is probably the country most suited to Solar adoption in the world, and my company is determined to make widespread adoption a reality for all NIgerians.

I cannot post direct links to our company on here, or else I'll be banned. However, I do have a massive thread going somewhere else on these boards which i can link you to. Please feel free to read and contribute. Help us to free Nigeria from Energy bondage. Its the only way the country will reach its full potential.

https://www.nairaland.com/1234695/easiest-way-get-rich/3

ayox2003:

First off, a segmented class exist in Nigeria: the poor (more than 50%), the middle class, and the rich (less than 10%).

Nigerians need 60,000MW yet we generate 4,500Mw. People need electricity and they would go to any length to get it at the cheapest price. For the poor, they would rather buy a small, less than $100 = N16,000 generator that they'd be able to fuel with $2 = N320 and would meet their energy needs because they stay small rooms. The middle class could buy a $600 = N95,000 generator that he would fuel with $40 = N6,500 per week. The rich spend much more.

Cheap is the nigerian slogan. Chinese products thrive in Nigeria because they are cheap. The one-off payment that might last longer and save more doesn't really matter to nigerians. Once they can afford a product at any time, even if it would later cost them more than buying an expensive product that would last longer and perform better, they don't mind buying it over and over again.

Solar pays on the long run but the one-time payment for installation is not cheap for the poor and some middle class. Hence, generators are preferred.


Frawzey

sweet_gala:

Most eco friendly ideas in developed countries have an incentive, in U.K and Ireland there are grants and rebates on property/household tax etc, should be similar in most of E.U

I've been thinking with the vast expanse of otherwise useless land up north with almost 360 days of lashing sunshine.

tbaba1234:

I know you might be trying to sell your company but this is frankly not true, A solr panel in Nigeria would be less effective than a solar panel in a more temperate region.

The heat actually works against the effectiveness of solar panels...

Solar energy is not the solution to Nigeria's energy problem... We still can not harness enough of it. It is intermittent, output changes all the time depending on the season and time of the day.

Storage systems are improving but are still inadequate.

cheddarking: A house has 7 bedrooms and 2 living rooms....as well as a BQ comprising 1room/livingroom/toilet

The main house has 2 Large Fridges and 2 Deep Freezers.

Each bedroom has a Wall mounted 1hp AC...while the 2 living rooms have a 3HP split standing unit each.

There are 9 Flatscreen LEDs in this house, usually on at the same time.

There is also a pumping machine in the yard for water.


Can you use Solar Energy to Power this house? And how big is the Array gonna be?

tbaba1234:

In the US, the levelised cost of energy for solar energy is about $244.61/MWh at 7.5% interest rate... That is the price required to break even.

Has there been any study on Nigeria's photovoltaic potential??

tbaba1234:

I know you might be trying to sell your company but this is frankly not true, A solr panel in Nigeria would be less effective than a solar panel in a more temperate region.

The heat actually works against the effectiveness of solar panels...

Solar energy is not the solution to Nigeria's energy problem... We still can not harness enough of it. It is intermittent, output changes all the time depending on the season and time of the day.

Storage systems are improving but are still inadequate.

Barcholder:

Just pure rubbish. I'm an expert in the field. You are not, clearly. Australia has a hotter climate than Nigeria, believe me, I know that. Over 10% of all their households now use Solar. FACT.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/carbon-economy/solar-panel-takeup-warms-to-a-million-20121010-27d7b.html

Please stop spreading false information.

Barcholder:

First of all, you must define "everyone". By definition, everyone in Nigeria cannot yet embrace it because 50% of the country live in rural areas and earn an average of $2 a day. They are not even yet connected to the grid. See my point above about market segmentation.

To specifically answer your question, the cheapest complete system we sell, that's capable of providing 24 hours consistent electricity needs is the 2KW system. This is priced at N1,300,000, which, I can assure you, is just about the cheapest price anywhere in the world for an equivalent system. Of course, I'm well aware that the upfront cost is more than a large proportion of Nigerians can afford, which is why we have negotiated financing terms to enable more people to afford it. So, this represents a good entry price for the typical Middle Class household in Lagos. With a 20% down payment, the monthly repayments are below the average N60,000 average spent on diesel each month. And after 2 years, repayments stop. Forever. The panels are guaranteed for 25 years.

The cost of the system is so much more than just the panels. It includes the following:

1. 8 250W Mono-crystalline PV Panels

2. 2.5KVA Hybrid Controller Inverter ( these can be upgraded to up to a 5KVA inverter, to allow for later additional panels to be added, for example, if you wish to run your a/c)

3. 4 * 12V 260AH Deep Cycle Batteries

4 Roof Brackets, to secure panels to the roof of the house

5 Wiring as required.

6. Complete Installation of the system

7. 5 Year warranty on the PV panels

8 2 Year warranty on the Inverters

9. Full 24 month maintenance for free (they need little to no maintenance, but we offer this as additional reassurance to customers)

10. As a bonus, we provide complete set of energy efficient lightbulbs for your home, for FREE. These significantly reduce your energy consumption, saving you the need to upgrade to one of our more powerful systems. And they last 7 times as long as traditional light bulbs.

For anybody who currently spends at least N40,000 a month on diesel, engine oil, and maintenance combined for their generator, this package is an absolute "no brainer". Over a 5 year period, you will save at least N2m. Over the lifetime of the guarantee (25 years), and even factoring for battery replacement costs approximately every 5 years, the average Nigerian household will save over N10m. This is a genuine and real saving.

I understand that despite the superb value of this 2KW system (we of course have larger systems up to 5KW and 7.5KVA inverter), it still won't be affordable for a lot of people. So, we have created a bespoke package system, where you are able to buy a smaller capacity of system and gradually built it up over time to eventually achieve complete electricity independence. The prices for this start from as low as N400,000, and will be discussed with our Consultant during the home visit, where they are able to advise you on the best and most efficient structure, based on your budget.

The important thing is, our mission is to go some way towards delivering energy independence for Nigerians, because this is the only way the country can achieve it's full, untapped potential. We of course want to make money as well (that's the point of business), but our primary driver is integrity, and a sense of mission for the greater good. By delivering a level of service that exceeds expectations, we create brand loyalty, and ultimately make loads more cash. Our objective is to float on the Nigerian Stock Exchange within 5 years, giving us the enormous capital base to attack the bottom 50% market, and bringing energy to all.

Regards

Uvie

Barcholder:

You are so completely wrong its untrue. There really is not enough space to explain to you why. I have started another thread which is now quite big on the subject. I cannot tell you the commercial details on this thread or it will probably be banned.

But I'd ask you to view that thread here. All of your points will be answered and then some.

A quick heads up for you. The amount of energy thats produced by a Solar Power system is DIRECTLY related to the amount of peak sunlight hours received. Nigeria receives approximately 3 times the amount that the UK does (as I type, I'm staring out of the grey skies in my London office). So the same number of times you have on your roof over in Nigeria would generate 10,500 kWh's of electricity each year. FACT. The average Nigerian household, on a 24 hour basis would require 2,900 kWh's of electricity a year (they currently use significantly less than this as you would know that the average homes receives nothing close to 24 hours of electricity)

https://www.nairaland.com/1234695/easiest-way-get-rich/3

Beaf!:


^
It cost me around N400,000.00

oyb:

too many half truths - 5 years to replace deep cycle batteries that are used regularly, and are not installed in airconditioning that will extend their life?

then you throw in the free energy saver bulbs - do you think nigerians are hick who dont already have these in their houses - we even know the grades, sylvania (150) akt (350) philips (600) for your 20 watt energy saver compact flourescent

and how much can one do with 2kva? ironing, borehole pump, fridge, freezer? please. anyway.

Sibrah: I was just curious Mr. OP, How did u get ur solar panel rate of ~ 15/Kw?
Please break it down for all to see.

Barcholder:

The source for my numbers are as follows:

1. Average petrol and diesel consumption rates at the current official fuel prices are readily available via any google search. A recent report at the start of 2012 done PRIOR to the partial subsidy removal had the figures of 46.3 per kWh and 47.78 kWh for petrol and diesel generators respectively. This has subsequently risen by 50% as you will be well aware.

2. PHCN costs per kWh figures, again, are widely available through any google search.

3. Solynta Energy, a UK based company about to launch into the Nigerian domestic and commercial markets, are providing complete solar solutions at a comparable price of 15.5 naira per kWh. Here is how that number is calculated.

A 1kW PV solar power system (including installation) sells for N800,000, and produces 57,000 kWh of electricity over 25 years. The total cost of that system, including replacement costs of Inverters every 10 years, and batteries every 5 years, is N883,776. So, simply divide the cost by the number of kWh produced, and you get a cost per kWh of 15.5.

This is irrefutable fact.

Please note that these numbers assume ZERO start up cost for both generators and PHCN. Including those costs will increase the cost per kWh as you can appreciate. Solar on the other hand, is totally an upfront cost. Once incurred, there are practically zero maintenance and replacement costs over at least 25 years.

The average generator costs per kWh are generally higher the smaller the generator is. The numbers used are an average number based on generators between 1 kva and 100 kva. So, the average for household generators is likely to be about 10-15% higher than quoted.

Solar Power can support anything from a single room, right up to the largest factory installation. There is no limit to the amount of Energy Solar panels can produce, because there is no limit to the amount of energy the sun can produce (its the most powerful energy source on earth by some order of magnitude). The only constraint is the amount of roof space your house has to lay the panels on. The average home has sufficient roof space to generate 4 times the amount of energy it requires.

It seems Nigeria is in the wilderness in terms of Solar knowledge, whilst the rest of the world takes it up with massive gusto. We are very backwards it seems.

http://www.solarcity.com/
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/energy-smart/australians-lead-in-fitting-solar-panels-on-homes-20120817-24dxd.html

Just a little snippet of information for you. Nigerians please wake up.

Barcholder: Hi All

I'd like to start a discussion about the cost of Electricity in Nigeria today. The numbers make for interesting reading. And as they say, numbers don't lie.

Diesel Generator 71.7 Naira per kWh
Petrol Generator 69.5 Naira per kWh
PHCN Grid Electricity 23 Naira per kWh
Solar Power 15.5 Naira per kWh

Why on earth do Nigerians still persist on using generators?



Plz, Do you or anyone nowledgeble about how muchis the cost of Solar power and how much to install it. Thanks.

Discuss

AjanleKoko:

2KVA won't even be enough to power a 3.5KVA inverter. Not to talk of all those appliances you listed.
I use four deep cycle 200A batteries, and I replace them all once in 18 months. Average cost is about N55k.

OP is just trying to sell stuff to us here

Barcholder:

A 1kW PV solar power system (including installation) sells for N800,000, and produces 57,000 kWh of electricity over 25 years. The total cost of that system, including replacement costs of Inverters every 10 years, and batteries every 5 years, is N883,776. So, simply divide the cost by the number of kWh produced, and you get a cost per kWh of 15.5.

For the avoidance of doubt, this includes the following:

PV Panels
Inverters
Deep Cycle Batteries
Solar Chargers
Wiring
Installation
10 Free Energy Efficient Lights
2 Years free maintenance

Aylawani:


...insightful, but how do we source for a good solar panel systems in Lagos, Nigeria?

Barcholder: Hi All

I'd like to start a discussion about the cost of Electricity in Nigeria today. The numbers make for interesting reading. And as they say, numbers don't lie.

Diesel Generator 71.7 Naira per kWh
Petrol Generator 69.5 Naira per kWh
PHCN Grid Electricity 23 Naira per kWh
Solar Power 15.5 Naira per kWh

Why on earth do Nigerians still persist on using generators?

Discuss