Many rural areas, small towns and villages, and farming operations throughout Nigeria have difficulty operating consistent water pumps. This is due to either a lack of electricity available through the national grid or the cost associated with running traditional electric generators. However, new studies indicate that solar-powered water pumps may be a cheaper alternative than other types of pumps for supplying water in many areas of the country.
In a research paper titled “Comparison of Solar Photovoltaic (PV), Wind and Biomass-Based Electricity Generation Technologies for Water Pumping Applications”, researchers examined three types of renewable energy technologies used for water pumping. The results of the study indicated that PV systems had the least expensive projected electricity prices at all of the six studied Nigerian sites.
The results of this study have a direct application to communities that rely upon their own local water delivery systems, and on the use of locally-operated pumps. Lower-cost electric power will allow these communities to provide water at a much lower cost for all types of usage (e.g., residential, agricultural, etc.).
Researchers Compare Three Renewable Energy Options
The study investigated the use of renewable energy sources for generating electricity at six distinct geographical sites within Nigeria. Specifically, the researchers studied the use of renewable energy at sites located in the following cities: Ibadan, Abakaliki, Benin, Abuja, Bauchi and Dutse. The purpose of selecting these particular locations was to ensure that the researchers would have represented the varied geographic and environmental factors present throughout the entire country.
The researchers examined ten solar photovoltaic panels, nine wind turbines and bio-fueled electric power generation systems. The researchers utilized data on solar radiation and wind speed collected during a eleven-year time frame (from 2014-2024) to evaluate these systems.
The goal of the study was to find out which type of renewable technology works best for each area, as opposed to assuming that all types of renewable technology will work equally well across the board.
There were substantial differences in the projected cost of producing electricity.
Solar power costs are estimated to range between $0.21 and $0.40 per kilowatt-hour. Biomass-based electricity is estimated to range from $0.42 to $1.11 per kilowatt-hour, and wind energy is estimated to range from $1.84 to $8.58 per kilowatt-hour.
Solar PV was estimated to be the most promising technology among all those studied.
Why Solar Energy Performed Better
In addition to being a country with high levels of sunshine all year long, Nigeria has potential to utilize solar energy through the implementation of photovoltaic technologies in areas that have unreliable access to electricity.
Solar pumps use the sun’s energy to produce electricity, so they don’t require connection to a power grid and don’t need ongoing purchase of fuel to run.
The research team found that there was a difference in how well each of the solar modules worked. At all three study sites, a Panasonic Photovoltaic Module had the highest capacity factor of the solar technologies tested, which reached 19.09 percent in Dutse.
In the specific areas where wind energy was shown to be feasible, the projected cost of producing electricity using wind power was much greater than what was actually spent on each application studied.
In addition to evaluating the temperature at each location, the researchers evaluated the wind conditions in 37 areas of Nigeria. The results from this portion of the study can provide engineers with insight into how wind velocity varies with altitude, allowing them to choose the best type of wind turbine equipment when planning future projects.
Seasonal Conditions Still Matter
Seasonal variations in renewable energy performance were identified as a critical factor.
The change in solar radiation and wind speed as seasons transitioned from the rainy to dry season in Nigeria would require that water pumping systems be able to operate under varying climatic conditions over an entire year.
A pumping system that is based on the assumption of average sunlight conditions will likely operate differently than when there is less solar radiation.
The size of the battery, the type of pump used, and the construction of the water storage system will determine how reliable the supply is for each community.
What the Findings Could Mean for Rural Communities
In addition to installing water pump systems, communities will usually need other resources such as an inexpensive source of electrical power, an arrangement for maintaining the system, replacement parts, and technical assistance.
Solar power systems may save money on operating costs, especially in locations where extending the power line would cost too much.
Reliable pumping in agricultural communities will provide reliable irrigation, make water available during times when there is no rain, and reduce the reliance of farming on only rain.
The research, however, does not imply that solar power will always be the most economical choice for each water development project in Nigeria. Other factors such as installation costs, the cost of replacing batteries, maintenance costs, the amount of available water, and regional geographical features must also be taken into consideration.
The results show that solar technology should receive high priority as part of the planning process for renewable-powered pumping systems in the areas where we conducted our research.
A Wider Opportunity for Sustainable Water Infrastructure
A link exists between renewable energy and the availability of essential community services, according to the research. Energy policy is about much more than just producing electricity for homes and businesses. It can impact whether a community will have adequate access to clean drinking water, sufficient levels of food production, and other forms of basic infrastructure.
For countries with similar energy and water challenges, the development of localized renewable energy systems may be critical to their development plans.
Solar energy will not provide solutions to all issues surrounding water availability; however, this study from Nigeria provides a useful roadmap for policy makers, engineering professionals, and investors who wish to find less expensive methods of operating key infrastructure.