http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 855 editor@iaeme.com
International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET)
Volume 10, Issue 03, March 2019, pp.855-863. Article ID: IJMET_10_02_088
Available online at http://www.iaeme.com/ijmet/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=10&IType=3
ISSN Print: 0976-6340 and ISSN Online: 0976-6359
© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed
RENEWABLE ENERGY TOWARDS A
SUSTAINABLE POWER SUPPLY IN THE
NIGERIAN POWER INDUSTRY: COVENANT
UNIVERSITY AS A CASE STUDY
Sanni Timilehin F., Olajube Ayobami, Abdulkareem Ademola, Alabi Gideon
Electrical and Information Engineering department, College of Engineering,
Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
The challenge of climate change results primarily from the global use of fossil
fuel. Renewable energy as alternative energy source allows the use of natural sources
such as micro-hydro, wind; solar, and biomass that are sustainable to be explored.
The increase in the dependence on renewable energy calls for attention which can be
solved by the use of energy management. Energy management will provide a
consistent and controllable power supply. There is the need for the integration of
energy management into the grid planning and design. In this work, Energy
management using energy storage is thus considered as one design method for the
system to maximize simplicity and increase reliability using HOMER, a conventional
simulation tool.
Keywords: energy management, energy storage, homer, and solar energy.
Cite this Article: Sanni Timilehin F., Olajube Ayobami, Abdulkareem Ademola,
Alabi Gideon, Renewable Energy Towards a Sustainable Power Supply in the
Nigerian Power Industry: Covenant University as a Case Study, International Journal
of Mechanical Engineering and Technology, 10(3), 2019, pp. 855-863
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/issues.asp?JType=IJMET&VType=10&IType=3
1. INTRODUCTION
Energy is the bedrock for development. It determines and creates growth and increase in the
technological, economical and health sectors of any nation [1,2]. In most developing
countries, the citizens depend largely on the national grid for power supply. The grid becomes
over-crowded based on the population especially in Nigeria which is one of the largely
populated nation of Africa. However, there are still several remote areas that are not
connected to the grid and those connected have low dependency on the grid due to irregularity
of supply. This is because of the poor reliability of the nation‟s utility grid without neglecting
the financial and environmental reasons. The vast of the remote dwellers depend on diesel-
generators which might not always be available and the urban dwellers who are able to afford
Sanni Timilehin F., Olajube Ayobami, Abdulkareem Ademola, Alabi Gideon
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 856 editor@iaeme.com
diesel contribute greatly to the high carbon dioxide emission. The carbon emission is
increasing due to the unreliability of the national grid. This can be reduced by increase
dependence on renewable energy via the integration of energy storage systems and energy
management topologies. Amid the environmental problems of using gasoline and diesel
generators, the cost of operation and maintenance is very high. However, the citizens of
Nigeria are will agree to change to the use of renewables but for the cost [3].
Nigeria is the number seven of the world's population review (approximately 196 million
people in 2018) and 60% of the populace do not have access to the electricity. The lack of
adequate energy supply is largely due to insufficient energy supply generation by the
inefficient power plants. The most populous black nation in the world depends largely on the
non-renewable energy sources for about 90% of its energy needs.
Most private organizations and industries run on-site diesel generators (dirty energy) as a
reliable energy source. And this is mainly responsible for the high operating and maintenance
costs which invariably raise the cost of production and sale of deliverables. Each of these
problems minimize the reliability of the Nigerian power system. It has significantly impacted
the manufacturing and communication industries negatively [4].
Renewable energy is generally considered an energy source that is inexhaustible, for
example, wind, hydro, geothermal or solar power technologies. The central objective of
energy management is to deliver energy in form of electricity with the minimum cost and
slightest natural impact. Energy management is the planning of the use of energy for
increased efficiency and reliability [5]. Energy management can also be defined as the use of
strategies and control methods to achieve distribution of power supply. The major aims of
energy management include maintaining optimum energy and reducing the impact of fossil
fuel in the environment.
Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria, which is a case study in this research has a power plant
capacity of 6 MW using a stand-alone gas turbine and 13 diesel generators up as backup
which is achieved by spending huge amount of money [6]. This estimate does not include the
cost of purchasing spare parts, oils and maintenance. Therefore, this research aims to reduce
the running expenses to the current energy supply system using renewable energy storage
technology. The system design and methodology used to achieve the objectives are provided.
HOMER is used to simulate the different system designs and the effects of both systems are
analysed.
2. RENEWABLE ENERGY IN NIGERIA
In developing countries, renewable energies aim to provide sustainable energy to the socially
viable part of society, to tackle energy shortages, to promote rural infrastructural development
and to provide clean energy. Renewable energy has become a dependable source of energy
that has the capacity of meeting the energy needs of the generation to come. The growing
popularity of the renewable energy sources is based on environmental concerns and the rapid
rate of depletion of reserves of traditional energy resources as a result of heavy use.
Sustainable alternative energy solutions will eradicate environmental challenges and the
energy crisis associated with fossil fuel [7]. Low access to electricity in a country results in
increased poverty, poor economic performance, reduced employment opportunities.
Increase in population indicates an increase in energy demand in the country as depicted
by the population increase and global industrial transformation of the twentieth century which
led to an increase in energy demand [8]. Energy management is key to the efficient use of the
energy produced. Some of the advantages are resource conservation, protect the climate and
save money while having permanent access to energy.
Renewable Energy Towards a Sustainable Power Supply in the Nigerian Power Industry:
Covenant University as a Case Study
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Figure 1 Percentage of energy consumption in Nigeria [9]
The use of renewable energy in Nigeria is minimal as can be seen in figure 1. A crucial
reason for this study is to increase citizens of developing countries to buy into the advantages
of renewable energy. This will take the form of policies, regulations, a legislative framework,
license agreements for private operators, definitions of institutions and rules for the service
and products of RE [10]. To improve investment potential and develop RE technologies in the
country, incentives are needed through effective policy [11]. The high cost of installation is
the main problem of renewable energy development in Nigeria. The solution is to stimulate
the private sector to force the development of education and trainings. One way to do this is to
put in place incentive policies, such as tariff definitions [12-14].
Nigeria can be described as a country that naturally has renewable and non-renewable
energy resources. Renewable sources include biomass, wind power, solar energy and
hydropower, with varying degrees of sustainable potential of 3.5-7.5 kW h/m2/day for solar
radiation, 83 million tonnes/year for crop residues and 61 million tonnes/year for animal
wastes to mention but a few [15].
3. POTENTIAL FOR SOLAR IN THE POWER INDUSTRY
The nation, Nigeria, has enough solar radiation to provide the energy used locally by rural
residents who have a lower demand for electrical load. [16]. Solar energy is available in all
parts of the world, and its potential as a renewable source is unlimited [17]. Many Nigerian
scientists have conducted studies on the possible analysis of solar energy applications, many
of which have indicated significant potential for use of resources.
Fig. 2 represents the photovoltaic potential of some regions of the country which includes
Port Harcourt, Uyere, Lagos, Abuja and Maiduguri.
With the results given, Maiduguri shows the highest solar photovoltaic potential followed
by Sokoto. Other results include the Federal District in the north center, which has a capacity
of 3000 watts / m 2 / day. In the southern axis where Port Harcourt has the least potential in
July but maintains a degree of value above the threshold. Other research has shown that
during the period from June to August, the country is experiencing a significant decline in its
potential due to cloudy environmental coverage caused rainy season.
Sanni Timilehin F., Olajube Ayobami, Abdulkareem Ademola, Alabi Gideon
http://www.iaeme.com/IJMET/index.asp 858 editor@iaeme.com
Figure 2 Solar energy potential in Nigeria
4. METHODOLOGY
For the basis of this research, Covenant University (CU) has been chosen as the case study
because it can be referred to as a miniature city with a gas-powered supply station of 6MW
rating and its major conventional load types. The main purpose of conserving this energy will
foster less operating cost, reduced energy consumption, lesser lighting fixture replacement
and less accrued heat generated by them, leading to an eco-friendly environment and making
buildings environmentally sustainable.
The case study has had a major population growth of over 8529 students, 374 faculties
and 502 non-academic staff. With the following population data as follows [18];
A residential capacity of 10 resident hostels with about 400 rooms per hostel
2 colleges, 6 schools and 22 departments.
University guest house, Library, Chapel, Lecture theatres.
Residential buildings (1-2-3-bedroom flats and duplex)
All these and more makes Covenant University not only a suitable case study but also can
be regarded to as a mini-town.
4.1. Data collection
With an energy audit carried out in Covenant University in the department of physical
planning and development (PPD).
Figure 3 Daily consumption of different buildings [18].
0
200
400
600
800
1000
Daily Power Consumption in KW
Renewable Energy Towards a Sustainable Power Supply in the Nigerian Power Industry:
Covenant University as a Case Study
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Electricity usage in a university campus differs in terms of load definitions and
consumption patterns [19]. The factors include the building design, types of electrical
appliances, types of lamps, and their power ratings. Figure 4 shows the electric power demand
of Covenant University. Analysis of load demand and the use of smart metering is crucial to
sustainable developments [20-22].
Figure 4 Percentage Consumption in various academic buildings
4.2 Description of the model / energy models
The system designed in this research is a hybrid system consisting of a photovoltaic system,
conventional diesel system and battery storage. The converter is bidirectional, which
maintains the power flow between AC and DC components, since the flow comes in two
different directions DC and DC to AC. The flow from the solar system passes through the
charging controller to charge the battery and at the same time to feed the electricity it
transports through the inverter. The controller monitors charging and discharging the battery
so that the battery is not damaged by overload or over-discharge.
Since this research is based on a detailed analysis of the energy flow which reveals the
energy loss (charge controller, rectifier, battery and inverter) in the system and storage
requirements. In addition, the developed model was used to determine the optimal
measurement parameters for the PV system in which the results obtained were compared and
tested with HOMER.
Figure 5 Modelled hybrid energy system
CDS Building
18%
Chem Engr.
15%
Civil Engr.
8%
EIE Engr.
14%
Mech Engr.
15%
Pet Engr.
9%
CST Building
21%
% CONSUMPTION