Techno-Economic Assessment of Renewable Electricity for RuraludElectrification and IT Applications in Selected Sites Across the Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria

摘要

This study presents an energy resource assessment for six sites, one from each geo-political zone ofudNigeria. It assessed the feasibility and economic viability of RE resources that can provide sustainableudelectricity and enhance ICT development for rural communities cut off from the national grid.udHypothetical rural communities made up of 200 homes, a school and health centre was conceived.udSpecific electrical load profile was developed to suite the rural communities. The required load wasudanalyzed as 358 kWh per day, with 46 kW primary peak load and 20 kW deferrable peak load. Theudmeteorological data utilized were obtained from the Nigeria Meteorological Department spanning 1987-ud2010. Assessment of the design that will optimally meet the daily load demand with LOLP of 0.01 wasudcarried out by considering standalone PV, Wind and Diesel, and a hybrid design of Wind-PV. The DieseludStandalone system was taken as the basis for comparison. The optimization tool employed after theudfeasibility analysis with RETScreen® software was the HOMER® software. The outcome showed that theudmost economically viable alternative for power generation at most of the sites is the wind standaloneudsystem. It proved to be the optimal means of producing renewable electricity in terms of life cycle costudand levelised cost of energy which ranged between $0.129/kWh for Jos and $0.327/kWh for Benin City.udThis is very much competitive with grid electricity. Renewable technologies could then become theudsubject of rigorous pursuit for rural electrification and ICT development in local communities around theudsites.