Design, Implementation and Performance Analysis of an Off-grid Solar Powered System for a Nigerian Household.

Abstract

Solar panel converts direct current obtained from the sun into an alternating current which is often used in various applications. Photovoltaic (PV) power generation technology is used as a stand-alone system to bridge the power demand requirement due to increasing energy consumption. This paper aims to present the design, implementation, and performance analysis of an off-grid solar power system for a Nigerian household. A comprehensive design was done on the Solar PV systems, parts and components, and the principle of operation. The average solar irradiance of the location was obtained from the data collation centre at the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). The method utilizes the development of a block diagram which shows the component layout and their connections and a flowchart which shows the procedure of achieving the objectives of the research. Battery efficiency, PV current measurement, current profile display and commissioning of the installed PV system formed the results. Thereafter, Implementation and performance analysis was carried out. The load demand assessment shows that the power required was 23,820 Wh per day at maximum and 11,260 Wh per day when the diversity factor was applied (Table 1). Consequently, a 3500VA inverter was selected with a battery size of 800AH. The test result showed that with a load of 11,260 Wh, the device supplied energy for about 24 hours uninterrupted. Therefore, the off-grid arrangement reduces the dependency on the grid and allows users to derive maximum satisfaction without having to rely on public power utilities.