The potential generating capacity of PV-clad residential and commercial buildings in Nigeria

Nigeria's grid electricity supply of 5.881 GW installed capacity in the period 1994 -1997 has experienced a sharp decline over the past five years to about 3 GW by 2002, even as electricity demand has grown due to population pressures, industrialization, and urban migration. Indeed the present situation is a near total collapse of the state power utility services, as total prolonged blackouts have been commonplace throughout the country in the past couple of years, and the situation may grow much worse unless significant shift in energy policy and investment takes place urgently. Diversification of energy sources to reduce the overt increasing dependence on fossil fuel generation and a shift towards renewable energy generation, particularly solar photovoltaic electricity, is a highly desirable policy shift. Among the gains would be reduced carbon emission into the environment and reduced transmission and distribution losses due to the possibility of decentralized generation and localized use of solar photovoltaic electricity. This paper examines the use of decentralized and grid-connected solar PV in building cladding as a pragmatic solution to the current power problems of Nigeria. The results of an ongoing investigation of the potential generating capacity of stand-alone and grid-connected solar PV cladding on residential and commercial buildings in Nigeria. An economic analysis of the proposed system is also considered as well as suggestions on financing. The cost of electricity from the proposed solar PV-clad buildings, calculated using an assumed 8% discount rate and a 25-year life expectancy was found to be significantly higher, in the double digits, than the present national tariff. Thus, novel financing schemes required are examined in the paper.