Techo-Economic Analysis of Off-grid Renewable Energy Systems for Rural Electrification in North-eastern Nigeria

Abstract

In sub-Saharan Africa, there still remains a large number of villages in the rural areas not connected to the national grid. This has led to the use of diesel generators as source of electricity by the dwellers in these rural areas. These sources of energy are expensive and pose threats to the environment. Renewable Energy Systems (RESs) as alternatives to such energy sources reduce greenhouse emissions as well as cost of energy production. In Northern Nigeria, very few feasibility studies have been carried out on the development of RESs as clean and cheaper energy systems in remote villages not connected to the national grid. This paper presents techno-economic analyses of five different power system models in a North-eastern Nigerian village in Nganzai Local Government Area. The available renewable energy resources in the area were studied and the technical, environmental and economic aspects of five energy sources viz. diesel system, PV with battery storage system, hybrid PV/diesel with and without battery storage systems and hybrid PV/wind with battery storage system were studied using HOMER. Results from this study revealed that Nganzai district has sufficient monthly global solar radiation and wind speed potential for the deployment of RESs. In addition, PV/diesel with battery storage system was found to be the most cost effective power system for the village in focus, with various cost indices being cheaper to diesel system by as much as 38 % and emissions cut by 36 %.