Energy is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — a post-2015 blueprint agreed by the United Nations to address energy poverty in the global community. This plan, coupled with the need to mitigate climate change and find alternatives to fossil fuels, is expected to drive continued interest in renewable energy systems around the world.
Such systems have the potential to address the energy deficit in the world’s energy-poor regions — for example sub-Saharan Africa, where about 50% of the 1.2 billion people in the world without access to electricity live.
What the paper covers
The paper first discusses the state of the art of photovoltaic (PV) technologies worldwide. It then presents the development of a solar panel plant, using the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) 7.5 MW solar panel plant in Nigeria as a case study. The plant was established to build local capacity in PV technologies and to promote their widespread application. Its layout design, materials, equipment and production line are discussed.
Measuring module performance
A new technique called Fundamental PV Module Performance Analysis (FPVMPA) is used to assess a single NASENI 190 W module in terms of:
- power output and energy yield
- capture losses
- fill factor and efficiency
This allows module performance to be predicted before installation, based on IEC 61724 standards. The paper places particular emphasis on the effect of temperature, which reduces efficiency and overall output.
Applying the results
The analyses are used to evaluate a proposed 54.72 kW photovoltaic electric power generation plant for a remote mini-estate in Kutunku, Nigeria. The results show module performance under varying irradiance and temperature conditions — useful for design, planning and application.
Future research directions include module life-cycle analysis, end-of-life management and recycling.
