Photovoltaic (PV) Electricity as an Alternative Renewable Energy in Solving Nigeria’s Electricity Challenges: A Case Study of Generating Electricity in Arid and Semi-Arid Zones in Upper Northern Nigeria and Transmitting It Nationwide Through National Grid – Unity Project
Abstract
The obvious electricity and socio-economic challenges of Nigeria since independence in 1960, are the instability and unsustainability of transmission of the inadequate generated hydropower and fossil fuel electricity into the national grid network to the end users. Niger Delta zone is the goose that lays the golden eggs in Nigeria presently. By harnessing solar PV electricity from Arid and Semi-Arid zones, and connect it to national grid is another golden egg laid by the northern region, and would be a unity project. Solar PV electricity generation is growing, and not only in urban cities, it is extending to suburban and rural areas. Human population, urbanization and rural areas possibility of access and demand for electricity are increasing. Solar PV electricity is enhancing the residents’ urban and rural quality life, health and wellness respectively. Also gives federal, state and local governments in Nigeria to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals . The connectivity of solar PV electricity to national grid network would enable urban cities, suburban and rural towns attaining some of the United Nations Sustainability Goals . They would be striving towards achieving the United Nations SDGs of health wellness, education, and reduction of greenhouse gas carbon emission from the conventional electricity sources. Abundance of sunlight and higher temperature in upper northern Nigeria desert are sources of the solar energy that would meet the Nigerians’ electricity demand and consumption, having the excess transmitted to the neighboring countries; and reduce Nigeria reliance on hydropower and fossil fuels in electrifying the country.
Keywords
solar energysolar PV electricitytransmissionsocio-economictemperaturedistributionAridSemi-Aridhumidsemi-humidSahel desertenvironmenthuman populationland massNorthern Nigeri
References
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