Solar energy is getting plenty of attraction recently; many more people are trying to find out how many solar panels it takes to power a house in Nigeria so they can estimate whether they can afford to install the solar panels on their houses. One only has to look at the state of the power sector in Nigeria to realize why alternative energy sources are important; without power we just couldn’t run our businesses, preserve our food, and live in reasonable comfort.
However, there seems to be quite a lot of confusion about how many solar panels can power a house, and how much the installation would cost. There are so many different quotes from so many different sources that it is understandable that many people just become confused and frustrated with the whole thing, and so they just give up.
The answer should ideally vary from house to house, depending on the size of the structure. However, even two buildings of roughly the same size can have different power usage, depending on their needs, and also on the habits of the people who live there. We will make some examples so as to give you the basis upon which to answer the question by yourself.
How Many Solar Panels Can Power A House In Nigeria?
How Many Solar Panels For A One Room Apartment In Nigeria?
A one-room apartment would probably have a TV set, DVD, Fan, Small Refrigerator, Blender, and two or three Electric bulbs (preferably energy-saving bulbs). To power these household appliances you would need a 1KW solar system. You can get these with two 300W high-Grade Solar Panels, or four 150W panels. The system cannot work adequately unless you have a charge- controller, and an inverter. Sometimes the charge controller and the inverter are built as one. You would then need one 12V 200Ah Deep Cycle Battery. For a 1KW system, it could last for up to 24 hours depending on the load. This system: purchase and installation could cost you around ₦475,000.
How Many Solar Panels For A 2 Bedroom Flat In Nigeria?
A typical 2 bedroom flat in Nigeria could have 2 or 3 TV sets, but let us assume that for the purpose of saving energy; only one would be switched on at a time. You would need a 2kW solar system to power such a house in Nigeria. That is enough power for 2 TVs, a Home Theater, Bulbs (preferably Energy Saving Bulbs), Fans, Washing Machine, and one Refrigerator. In order to generate this power, you would need four 300W high-Grade Solar Panels, or alternatively, eight 150W solar panels. The system would need an inverter and charge- controller these days they are built like one, and also have battery monitoring systems. You can go for one with an LCD display to help you monitor the battery. Then you would need to incorporate two 12V 200Ah Deep Cycle batteries; these could last for over 24 hours. To set up this complete system; purchase and installation, you would need to spend around ₦811,625.
How Many Solar Panels For A 3 Bedroom Detached Bungalow In Nigeria?
A typical 3 Bedroom house (whether a flat or bungalow) would have maybe 3 TVs, a Refrigerator, Fans, Bulbs, a Blender, Washing Machine, and a Water pump. In order to power all that you would need to have around 3KW of electricity. To generate that kind of power you would need to get eight 300W Solar Panels. Of course, the panels cannot work alone; you would need to get an Inverter which could come with a charge controller. For a better experience, choose one with an LCD display that monitors the battery. You will also need four 12V 200Ah Deep Cycle Batteries- with proper management these can last for over 24 hours, even on days when there is little radiation from the sun. The Price of this system; both the purchase and installation in Nigeria is somewhere around ₦1,564,663.
How Many Solar Panels For A Detached Duplex In Nigeria?
A typical Detached Duplex in Nigeria would have several TVs, fridges, at least one blender, several bulbs, several fans, DVDs, air conditioning units, at least one washing machine, and so on. To power all those household appliances you would need at least 5KW of energy. In order to generate that kind of power, you would need to get eight 300W Solar Panels. Of course, solar panels alone will not do the work; you would also need an Inverter and controller. For this kind of power project, you would need a 5KW Hybrid Solar Inverter with Battery Monitoring System. To store the generated power you would need four 12V 200Ah Deep Cycle Batteries. If you use the power responsibly it should last over 24 hours, even with very little sun. In order to complete this solar project; both purchase and installation you would need to spend around ₦1,725,913.
How Many Solar Panels For An Apartment Building In Nigeria?
Although it is not common to see apartment buildings in Nigeria come together to find a solution to their electricity needs, it is quite possible. If an apartment building of 4 flats with 2 or even three bedrooms wanted to come together to find a solution to their power problems, they would need around 10KW of power. We calculate around 4 to 8 TV sets, 4 DVDs, 12 Fans, 4 washing machines, several bulbs, a water pump, and so on. To power all that you would need a 10KW system which would comprise about eighteen 450W Solar Panels. Of course, you would need a big Inverter with a charge controller: you could get a 10KW Hybrid Solar Inverter with Battery Monitoring System. It is better you get one with an LCD display to monitor the battery. You would need a powerful battery system to retain all that power; eighteen 12V 200Ah Deep Cycle Batteries would be enough. The price for purchase and installation of this kind of solar system is 3million naira.
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Conclusion:
If you think that installing a solar system is too expensive; just consider all the benefits it comes with: no fumes, no noise, no refueling. A solar system is basically a one-time setup system. It gives you freedom from all the problems associated with the public electricity grid and empowers you to carry out your business without the fear of power failure.
Disclaimer: The prices and listings in this article are provided only for general information. Please contact a professional before making any purchases. We will not be liable for any damages emanating from your use or misuse of the information in this article.