SOLAR ENERGY: THE MOST SUITABLE SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ALTERNATIVE IN NIGERIA FOLLOWING THE RECENT EVENT OF SUBSIDY REMOVAL

Solar energy is a renewable and sustainable energy source that harnesses the power of the sun to produce electricity or heat. It is one of the cleanest and most abundant sources of energy available to us on Earth. Solar energy is primarily captured through two main methods: photovoltaic (PV) technology and solar thermal systems [1] [2].

Photovoltaic (PV) Technology: Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight directly into electricity using solar cells made of semiconductor materials like silicon. This direct current can be converted into an alternating current using inverters. [2]

Adopted from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/photovoltaics-and-electricity.php

Solar Thermal Systems: Solar thermal systems capture solar energy to produce heat. These systems use mirrors or lenses to concentrate sunlight onto a receiver, which heats a fluid. The heated fluid can then be used to generate steam, which drives a turbine connected to an electricity generator. Solar thermal power plants are commonly used in areas with high solar radiation to produce large-scale electricity. [2] [3] [4]

Adopted from https://www.globusrenewable.com/thermal.html

POSITION IN SUBSIDY REMOVAL

The removal of the subsidy has helped in the diversification of energy sources. Solar energy plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, which is critical to protecting humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Solar energy can also improve air quality and reduce water use from energy production, drastically reducing or even eliminating electric bills. With a solar panel system, you generate a free power supply.

JUSTIFICATION FOR RE-INVESTMENT

With rising energy costs and an ever-growing need for renewable energy sources, there is no better time than now to consider switching to solar. The reasons are as follows [7] [8]:

Environmentally Friendly, Sustainable, Renewable and Clean.
Saves money and is cost-effective.
Easy to maintain, resilience and grid stability.
Creating Jobs and enhancing economic growth.
Energy Independence and Security.
Technological Innovation and Development.
Environmental Benefits.
Public Health Benefits.

SUCCESS FORECAST

The use of solar energy is likely to continue to rise in the upcoming years as the sector continues to expand quickly. The following are some forecasts regarding the future of solar energy [10]:

The cost of solar panels will keep declining, making the installation of solar systems by people and companies more feasible.
Solar energy will take on more significance as a source of electricity, especially in developing nations where it can lessen dependency on fossil fuels and increase access to electricity.
The development of solar-powered automobiles and the usage of solar panels for electric vehicles will lead to a further increase in the use of solar energy in the transportation industry.
With the development of new technologies like solar steam generation and solar thermal storage, the usage of solar energy will increase in the industrial sector.

POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS

This evaluation explores the potential drawbacks and challenges associated with adopting solar energy, using credible citations and references to support the analysis.

Intermittency and Weather Dependency [11].
Land Use and Environmental Impact [12].
High Initial Costs and Economic Viability [13].
Grid Integration and Infrastructure Upgrades [14].
Geographical Limitations and Efficiency [15].

DESIGN OF A SUSTAINABLE PLAN

The development and utilization of clean energy are dependent on having the technological know-how, the right policies, financing and infrastructure. The following can help curb these issues:

Sensitization of the public especially in the rural areas on the importance and benefits of the use of sustainable solar energy.
Provision of grants, as encouragement, to researchers mostly in the area of sustainable energy.
Implementation of policies that will scale up renewable energy programs, puts into effect the elimination of import duties and value-added tax (VAT) on all renewable energy-related imports [34].
Provision of bilateral scholarships to scholars interested in the area of sustainable energy to study in developed countries vast in renewable energy research.
Building of workforce for the technical know-how of installing the solar panels.
The establishment of the first solar cell production plant by the former administration of Nigeria on March 26, 2023, will solve the problem of infrastructure on completion [19].
Implementation of subsidies for solar energy can help reduce the cost, thereby making power supply affordable and reducing the carbon footprint.

REFERENCES

[1] U.S. Department of Energy. "Solar Energy Technologies Office Overview." Energy.gov, 15 March 2022, https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office

[2] Fondation d'entreprise TotalEnergies. "The Two Types Of Solar Energy". planete-energies.com, 2 February 2022, https://www.planete-energies.com/en/media/article/two-types-solar-energy

[3] U.S. Energy Information Administration. "Solar Explained". Eia.gov, 15 April 2022, https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/solar/solar-thermal-power-plants.php

[4] Elsevier B. V. "Solar Thermal Electricity". Sciencedirect.com, 2017, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/solar-thermal-electricity

[5] Elsevier. (1974) Climate and life. Retrieved on January 26, 2017.

[6] International Skills Training Institute Article on Solar Energy.

[7] Akshay VR, Republic of Solar, July 2023.

[8] Cabrera-Cruz, S. A. (2020). Challenges and solutions for renewable energy generation in small island developing states: A case study on the Virgin Islands. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 133, 110366

[9] Lenzen, M., Wiedmann, T., Malik, A., Moran, D., Kanemoto, K., Bekchanov, M., & Schulte in den Bäumen, H. (2018). The environmental footprint of semiconductors: A bottom-up assessment of materials, processes, and packaging. Environmental Science & Technology, 52(3), 13530–13538.

[10] Díaz-González, G., Hernández-Moro, J., & Varela-Candamio, L. (2021). Economic analysis of photovoltaic grid parity. Renewable Energy, 174, 1182,1190.

[11] Lehmann, S., Wohland, J., & Hirth, L. (2018). Optimal temporal aggregation of flexibilities considering demand response and variable renewable energies.

[12] Alharbi, F. H., Zhang, X., & Mei, B. (2019). An overview: Review of the photovoltaic technology. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 11(5), 056101.

[13] Newell, P., Phillips, J., Pueyo, A., Kirumba, E., Ozor, N. and Urama, K., 2014. The political economy of low carbon energy in Kenya. IDS Working Papers, 2014 (445), pp.1-38.

[14] Salau S. 2023. New solar cell production plant to boost power supply in Nigeria. Available at: https://guardian.ng/business-services/new-solar-cell-production-plant-to-boost-power-supply-in-nigeria/ [Accessed July 28, 2023]

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