DESIGN OF A HYBRID OFF-GRID SOLAR SYSTEM FOR RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN REMOTE BENJA VILLAGE

摘要: Reasonable access to energy is an important factor in eradicating energy poverty. In South-West Nigeria, individuals living in remote areas lack access to the electricity from the grid, resulting to the use of generators as primary or back-up source of electricity. This brings about some challenges which include high cost of using a generator as a primary source of electricity in remote areas in Nigeria, depletion of the ozone layer (Air pollution) among others. Solar energy is a fast and easy way of overcoming energy poverty in some of these remote areas. A solar power system, through direct conversion of solar irradiance into electricity, can provide electrical power for households to meet their daily load or energy requirements. This paper designs a stand-alone solar photovoltaic system for a typical residential building. It also outlines in details the procedures involved in choosing each components of the standalone photovoltaic power system. A residence in Benja Village in Ado/odo-Ota Local Government, Ogun State, Nigeria with typical energy consumption was selected and used as a case study for the design. The consideration of alternative current appliances was taken. The total load power of these appliances is 289W having a daily 712Wp energy demand. The result of the design shows that though the initial investment cost is high, but on the long run, the maintenance cost is almost free over a long period of time compared to when the electricity is from the utility.