Why Is Solar Electricity Not Commonly Used In Nigeria?

I just got back from naija - home sweet home but in my 10 day experience, there wasn't a single day that we had power overnight and to make matters worse, I was told that we can't have the generator on all night as this would constitute noise pollution and I would be disturbing the neighbours.

Power is essential for an economy to develop, solar energy is in abundance, why isn't everyone using it?

Bros,

YOu are just talking as if you are not in Nigeria. It is possible for everyone to own a solar panel in every home as it is done in Japan today but our govt no dey look that side because they believe if it happens that way generator sellers will not sell any more and govt will not get there normal tax from them again.

Apart from that a low income earners can never be able to afford the a complete solar panel installation because this is meant for high income and govt offcials and who can afford it.

That's all I can say about the issue

It's the cost, silly! If solar panels were affordable, the same hated generator importers would be importing them!

thats not for certain.solar panels do not run on fuel.they do not require servicing or spare parts.a lot of folks(generator sellers ,maintenace cos and petroleum product dealers have a stake in generators.

So can anyone tell us how much solar panels or the complete solar solution costs ?

Seun:

It's the cost, silly! If solar panels were affordable, the same hated generator importers would be importing them!

you beat me to it, nyugga!!!!!!!!!

oyb:

thats not for certain.solar panels do not run on fuel.they do not require servicing or spare parts.a lot of folks(generator sellers ,maintenace because and petroleum product dealers have a stake in generators.

if you look carefully, he said 'if solar panels are affordable'. the initial cost is prohibitive,e specially if you want to generate any meaningful output.

@adechuks

You are asking a very open ended question like how much does a car cost?

I have looked into it before and this is what i found

It depends on several factors a few listed below,

1. how much power you want to generate, this depends on size of your premises and power consumption
2. Do you want a 24 hour power supply or day time generating unit only, you will need inverters and batteries for 24 hour supply
3. Do you want a standalone solution or a grid tie which uses the grid when power is available
4. How much roof space do you have for the solar panels
5. Do you have to modify or strengthen your roof for the extra weight of the panels

So you see there are several configurations available
It is difficult to give a cost unless you know what your power requirements are

Last time i checked, a system to supply power to an average 3 bedroom house with 1 fridge, 1 television and 3 ACs cost about $28000 but this doesn't include installation or cost of importation etc.

The appliances you want to run most also be environmentally friendly low power consumption units. Some specialized units do exist at additional cost

Also some industrial solar systems exist but these are expensive due to the size of the panels required

The solar solution is still expensive overall cost however continues to drop over time.
In Nigeria you will recover the cost of your initial investment in less time than in other countires where they are mainly installed to reduce energy bills
Another good point is there are few if any moving parts and maintenance is very minimal

The installation cost is difficult to estimate as it needs to be done professionally and most installers are outside Nigeria
Some local solar power retailers exist but i think they exist on a small scale

Lastly Petrol/Diesel Generators are tried and tested technology
Solar panels will be very new to Nigeria and most people will not want to spend so much money on technology they are not familiar with

Ciao

Don't forget that solar panels aren't very efficient at converting the sun's energy to electricity. And when you're storing this energy for nighttime use, you'll find that you need loads of batteries to store the energy for regular domestic usage.

Ka:

Don't forget that solar panels aren't very efficient at converting the sun's energy to electricity. And when you're storing this energy for nighttime use, you'll find that you need loads of batteries to store the energy for regular domestic usage.

The newer more efficient solar panels do not require strong sunlight just day light to generate electricity but true they are not very efficient thats why you need very large panels to generate a reasonable amount of electricity

if energy is required at night you require banks of batteries and inverters to process and store the electricity

In offices where only minimum lighting is required at night solar power is a good option

If i were to build a house in Nigeria today, i will definitely install a standalone solar unit, it may cost a lot of money but at least there will always be power.
Some communities in Australia miles away from the grid have installed units which supply several houses. Expensive to build and install but much cheaper than waiting for the national grid

So you have to look at the cost benefits, i believe these are much better in Nigeria

We just need a reliable and reputable supplier and installer of solar systems who can give a wide range of solutions depending on how much you want to spend and your particular needs

solar power is highly inefficient. take for example my home state Adamawa, which is the sunniest state in Naija, solar converter used on the streetlights refused to work.

@kticks

I wonder who supplied the solar converters. The solar street lights in the UK work and its not half as sunny here so why shouldnt the ones in Adamawa work?

They should come with a guarantee and be replaced by the contractor if they fail
I suspect foul play, i hope it is not the same contractors who have been working on our roads and electricity supply

@Naijafresh

You sound so knowledgeable about this thing.

but i've spoken with a reseller before (in naija) who didn't give me that big a price ($28,000) for the solar panels.

I would ike to install one later this year. just doing my background qork.
thanks for the comments though

@adechuks

Solar panels come in different sizes and are of varying quality
Efficiency in converting solar energy to electricity varies from 6- 40% . The efficiency of comercially available mc-Si solar cells is around 14-16%

If you do go ahead make sure you are getting the photovoltaic panels. These are the daylight panels i mentioned earlier that only require daylight rather than strong sunlight though the yield is lower
The other panels on the market are much cheaper

The problem with Nigerian suppliers is they look for the cheapest rather than the most efficient and sturdiest in order to maximise profits

The quote i was given was much higher because i factored in 3-4 working ACs in addition to the normal working load of a 3 bed house. This is obviously a very heavy load hence the cost

A smaller system would cost $9,000 to $14,000.
Remember in order to reduce costs you have to be more energy efficient and switch things off unless they are an absolute necessity
You may also have to make do without things like ACs and go for fans, this reduces the cost even further

Also remember prices continue to fall with time

Good Luck

With more awarenesss, Nigerians will find that Solara power will be the best alternative at leat for domestic use. Its a shame that people are made to suffer days on end without power and have come to accept it as normal. Initial cost of installation is high but on the long run, it is really worth it. No Nepa threatening to cut off your wires for a servic eyou do not use.

It like having a borehole as your source of water supply, it expensive at first but you dont have the proble of water when all the neighbours go without. Ah, unless Nepa abi na PHCN seize power.

e go beta!

Dudes,
Those anyone have the contacts of a dealer in Lagos? I would like to have a Q&A with one to enable me negotiate for a realistic price. I'll appreciate your comments and assistance in this regard.

TaxMan:

Dudes,
Those anyone have the contacts of a dealer in Lagos? I would like to have a Q&A with one to enable me negotiate for a realistic price. I'll appreciate your comments and assistance in this regard.

You can find some providers thru Google. i once found a guy (Rubicon solar) who quoted 3 million naira for a three bedroom flat in Abuja. Although i think it was that expensive cos he knew i was calling from the UK and cos i requested more appliances to be added to the list.

im sure its way cheaper from other suppliers

Having the money to buy a solar panel does not attach to maintenance. The bill for maintenance is killing once any of the plates is out you can't be fix it. You will have to replace it.

Quite interesting, because a former classmate and I were (his initiative though) discussing about the merits and necessities (factor in the epileptic power supply in Nigeria) of solar energy in Nigeria. Mine has to do with the cost, and moreso, how many people can readily afford it?

nazzyon:

Having the money to buy a solar panel does not attach to maintenance. The bill for maintenance is killing once any of the plates is out you can't be fix it. You will have to replace it.

If you buy quality maintenance becomes less of an issue as pointed out earlier in this thread

If you buy a dud car expect it to break down sooner rather than later
"You get what you pay for"

The limiting factor with solar power is the initial cost

If you look at the cost of fuel and buying a generator in Nigeria over a 25 year period (average  lifetime guarantee of solar panels) the benefits of Solar power far outweight the benefits of a diesel generator

This is because the supply of electricity through the grid is virtually non existent in Nigeria as opposed to other countries where there is a constant supply.
People  in these countries therefore fit solar panels to reduce their energy bills not to supply electricity not provided by the government

See the reply from a provider in Naija here. this is in response to an e-mail enquiry.

"Thanks for your interest in our product. The 2.5KVA
inverter is =N=87,000 and the 5KVA is =N=145,000, the
2.5KVA inverter requires 2 battery of 200AH deep
cycle, and one(1) is =N=48,000, 2 of it will cost
=N=96,000. So the 2.5KVA inverter +
2Battery=N=183,000, while for 5KVA Inverter + 4
Battery is =N=337,000. The 2.5KVA requires a minimum
of 2 of 75watts solar panel and 5KVA requires a
minimum of 4 of 75watts solar panel, one of the
75watts solar panel is =N=71,000 although this is for
for an hybrid system.
Thanks as we await doing business with you."

of course i've sent another mail to confirm the make of his products.
He says the solar is the photovoltaic type. Naijafresh's recommendations.

His price is so different from things quoted on this page. Or are his Made in nigeria ?

@adechuks

If he is a large supplier he may be able to give you a  good discount so i would not be too stressed about the price differential

I am sure the prices quoted above are for all in one standalone systems which are much more powerful
Is that right Naijafresh?

If he is a professional he should be able to tell you what kind of system you will require for your particular needs IE number of Fridges TVs ACs etc
He has mentioned a hybrid system which means you will still rely on PHCN

Does he also install and maintain?
Can he show you similar projects he has successfully completed?

Check this site out
http://www.icpsolar.com

The diagram below gives you an idea of the working parts you need

Aah My favorite topic

Obamedo you are correct, the system i specified is a standalone all in one system from the USA
It Included importation, installation etc It is just to give an idea of how much systems could cost and i did stress they are getting cheaper

There are cheaper alternatives available from Asia but don't compromise on quality and buy the most powerful unit you can afford

I concluded then that it will be be more cost effective to purchase locally available systems as long as they are durable and can do the job

The post above this by Obamedo gives you an idea of components needed, i will stress that it is a pretty durable setup as it has few moving parts, Well done Obamedo for that Link

I also recommend you see a working system before you buy

Good luck

Solar Energy: New power source in Jigawa, Nigeria

Rural areas in Northern Nigeria lack the modern energy sources needed for improvements in health, education, transportation and commercial development. Outside of major cities and towns, there has been very little electrification in this region and what supply there is, is often unreliable. In contrast, Nigeria has an abundance of petroleum-based energy resources and in fact is the sixth largest supplier of oil to the United States. Unfortunately, very little revenue from the sale of this resource filters down to help the rural population. With the intention of addressing the unavailability of energy in villages, Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) Executive Director, Robert Freling and Jigawa State governor, Ibrahim Siminu Turaki, began a dialogue in 2001 concerning the possibility of using solar–electricity (photovoltaic or PV) to power essential services in the far-flung villages of Jigawa State.



In very few places has PV been used to address virtually all of the things that a community needs energy for. But that’s what we decided to do and we were going to do it in three villages where over 7,500 people would benefit from the results.

Having a reliable water supply is the first priority of any village and this is especially true in the semi-desert of Jigawa State where there are few rivers or other sources of water on the surface of the land. Typical methods of getting water range from open wells with rope and bucket, to hand pumps, to government supplied diesel-powered pumps that work only until they break down or until villagers run out of money to buy the expensive diesel fuel. The powerful solar-powered pumps supplied with this project are designed to run maintenance-free for eight to ten years or more



The village health clinics now benefit from solar energy. Lights enable health officers to see patients at night for the first time, vaccine refrigerators allow more people to be vaccinated at greater frequency and fans increase the comfort level of staff and patients alike. Village primary schools now have, at least, two illuminated classrooms and teachers report that they are being heavily used in the evenings for adult education and as places for children to come and do their lessons. Each school has also been provided with a computer and computer instruction for the teachers. These are the first computers in the project villages and there are plans to eventually hook them to the internet via the state’s broadband system – a process that can literally open the village to the rest of the world for healthcare, education and commerce.

Source: http://peakoil.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=24097

10x guys 4 the info. Still thinking of a locally built inverter as an hybrid or full scale solar.
Better to get the quote of local dealer on both.

I saw in a documentary here on the TV one night how in Texas they are using wind to generate electricity, would that not be cost effective and friendlier on the environment in terms of pollution?.

When would our electrical engineer come up with their own electric power plant and supply their own neighbor power and start making some money?

How is a wind turbine more cost effective or environmentally friendly
To generate a decent amount of power you need a large (and unsightly) turbine as opposed to a relatively innocuous solar panel

I don't think so mate!

Thank you for informing us on that, I stated that I watched it on documentary, I'm not electrical engineer. Whichever one would make Naija power stable and cost effective that please do. Thank you brother.

Adechuks said


"Thanks for your interest in our product. The 2.5KVA
inverter is =N=87,000 and the 5KVA is =N=145,000, the
2.5KVA inverter requires 2 battery of 200AH deep
cycle, and one(1) is =N=48,000, 2 of it will cost
=N=96,000. So the 2.5KVA inverter +
2Battery=N=183,000, while for 5KVA Inverter + 4
Battery is =N=337,000. The 2.5KVA requires a minimum
of 2 of 75watts solar panel and 5KVA requires a
minimum of 4 of 75watts solar panel, one of the
75watts solar panel is =N=71,000 although this is for
for an hybrid system.
Thanks as we await doing business with you."

of course i've sent another mail to confirm the make of his products.
He says the solar is the photovoltaic type. Naijafresh's recommendations

2.5 KVA won't power a one room apartment. Solar is for the reach only. From an eco friendly point its idea, but it never repays its investment. The initial cost for a 4 bed house well be in excess of £40,000.

One thing Kenya is certainly not short of is good weather.

In one of Nairobi's poorest neighbourhoods, people have started working to make the best of the free energy potential of the sun.
Orders are already beginning to flood into the Kibera Community Youth Project (KCYP) for solar panels built in a small workshop.


The panels can power radios

Using skills and equipment passed on to them by a British volunteer, the young people are engaged in the entire line of production, from slicing the silicon sheets, to wiring the connectors, to calculating the correct voltages.

"We've been making solar panels of different sizes - 12, nine and six volts," says Mills Shamoli, a regular attendee at the solar energy group.

"We've learnt that they can power different sizes of radio, as well as charging mobiles and rechargeable batteries."

No batteries

John Keane had a hunch the solar panels could be a popular product, after an earlier experience of living in a Tanzanian village with no electricity.


"Everyone here seems to have a radio, but many of them don't have the funds to continually buy batteries, as they often don't have a reliable source of income," he says.

Many of the young people working on the solar project have never had a job, or seen anyone in their families have a job.

The average wage in Kibera is $1 a day but a small solar panel which takes just a matter of minutes to put together can sell for around $5.

Investment needed

Just a few months after the group completed their first prototype radio solar panel, they are already drawing up a business plan to turn the project into a self-sustaining enterprise.

The young are also gaining confidence


If they are successful in attracting investment, they would like to expand their sales to rural parts of western Kenya, where the electricity supply is often sporadic.

Fred Ouko is the co-ordinator of KCYP and he says the young people are really starting to gain in confidence.

"What I want to see is real empowerment, real benefit trickling down to individual persons," he says.

"They're actually making something up to a full product and then selling it, and they know now they can do this for themselves."

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4001061.stm

Quote by Doe
[2.5 KVA won't power a one room apartment. Solar is for the rich only. From an eco friendly point its idea, but it never repays its investment. The initial cost for a 4 bed house well be in excess of £40,000.]


You don't have to power a 4 bedroom house with ACs and TVs on 24-7 in each room do you
You just want ancillary power that will keep your life comfortable and run the barest minimum
£40,000 is excessive and i wouldn't pay that sum even if i was related to Bill Gates, OBJ or Dariye


I suspect your quote is coming from a UK company using UK sunshine levels for their estimates
Nigeria is in Zone 8 which is the part of the world that receives the highest amount of sunshine, so estimates in the northern hemisphere extrapolated to the southern hemsipshere tend not to take that into consideration

You need a reliable and reputable engineer to give you a quote and you dodinteed to go large when building a system unless you can afford

Cheers

Thanks Horus for your posts,

I was also wondering, why don't we try creating or constructing our own solar panels and power packs if they are so expensive to import and take so much time (I believe they are gotten for you only when you order for them).

In my spare time, I may not mind trying my hands on building one if I can get the components locally or construct them (I was made a transmitter, and used formaica and aluminum to desire the circuit board).

Can anyone of you guys post a complete circuit of a solar panel, it may help too.
By the by, I'm a hobbyist engineer.

#Candid Submission#

Thanks all for your posts,

I was also wondering, why don't we try creating or constructing our own solar panels and power packs if they are so expensive to import and take so much time (I believe they are gotten for you only when you order for them).

In my spare time, I may not mind trying my hands on building one if I can get the components locally or construct them (I was made a transmitter, and used formaica and aluminum to desire the circuit board).

Can anyone of you guys post a complete circuit of a solar panel, it may help too.
By the by, I'm a hobbyist engineer.

#Candid Submission#