The Imperative of Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Systems

Solar power is an alternative energy source that can produce heat and generate electricity. Among all natural energy sources, sunlight is the most abundant. The amount of solar energy the Earth receives on a sunny day can generate around 200,000 times the total daily amount of energy required to power our planet.

This abundance is only limited by the methods of collection, storage, and conversion into heat and electrical energy. Fortunately, as solar power technology advances and costs steadily decrease, accessibility increases—although inflation and weak currency in Nigeria have somewhat counteracted this trend. In fact, the cost of energy has rather gone up steeply owing to the recent removal of subsidies on PMS and electricity tariffs.

Many businesses in Nigeria today are struggling to survive as the cost of production has become prohibitive, with capacity utilization on a downward spiral. Individual homes are also significantly affected, as energy costs and inflation have made life excruciatingly difficult. Nature abhors a vacuum, so people must find a way to keep their lives going while the government finds a lasting solution to the energy crises.

This is where solar energy comes in; considering fuel costs and availability, many people and corporate bodies are already transitioning to solar energy. Apart from the high initial capital investment (CAPEX), which is relatively substantial, solar energy offers the best advantages over other power sources.

The merits are:

The most widely used forms of energy come from non-renewable and finite sources such as fossil fuels that give us coal, natural gas, and petroleum. Apart from being non-renewable, these sources of energy also pollute the environment and cause widespread destruction of natural habitats. In such a scenario, it is becoming an ever-pressing concern to find alternate sources of energy that will not harm the environment but provide enough power to meet the growing energy requirements.

Solar energy is a modular technology, which means that you can install any number of panels depending on your needs, requirements, and ultimately the design. Using solar power greatly reduces your electricity bill, even eliminating it if the solar installation design is big enough to cover the daily energy demand. In more developed economies, solar panels also help generate income through various government incentives and significantly add value to any house where they are installed. Soon, access to loans and credits may be predicated to some extent on the valuation related to solar installations on buildings and other infrastructure in Nigeria. This is the new trajectory for the solar industry in Nigeria.

In the coming weeks, I will share some practical solar installation case studies and scenarios to help readers better understand solar energy and its application. We will consider three (3) instances where solar energy was used to power different facilities, all of which have already benefited greatly from the transition to solar energy.

As Nigeria navigates its energy crisis, solar power presents a viable and sustainable solution for both commercial and residential sectors. Stay tuned for more on how solar power can transform your energy landscape.