ABSTRACT
This research work is based on the design and installation of photovoltaic power system. A room and parlor self contain at Ara village Kwara state was used as a case study. A total load of 740 watts a total wall hour capacity of 5840wh and total battery bank 1474.75Ah all was determined during the sizing of the apartment under study. The cost of using a diesel generator and electric from the public utilities (national grid). The result shows that after 1 year and 8 month, the cost of using diesel generator will be equal to the amount spent on photovoltaic system, also after 8 year 1month, the cost of using electricity from public utilities (national grid) will be equal to the amount spent on photovoltaic system.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 RENEWABLE ENERGY
Renewable energy is energy that comes from resources which are continually replenished such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, waves and geothermal heat. About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewable resources with 10% of all energy from traditional biomass, mainly used for heating and 3.4% from hydroelectricity and 3% from new renewable [REN21,2011]
Wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually with a worldwide installed capacity of 282,482 mega watts (MW) at the end of 2012 and is widely used in Europe, Asia, and the United State. At the end of 2012, the photovoltaic (PV) capacity worldwide was 100,000MW and PV power stations are popular in Germany and Italy. Solar power stations are popular in Spain, and the Mojave Desert. The world’s largest geothermal power installed is the Geysers in California, with a rated capacity of 750MW. Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world, involving production of ethanol fuel from sugar cane, and ethanol now provides 18% of the country’s automotive fuel. Ethanol fuel is also widely available in the USA [WAE, 2001] [3] while many renewable energy projects are large scale, renewable technologies are also suited to rural and remote areas, where energy is often crucial in human development. [Ben,2011].
As of 2011, small solar PV systems provide electricity to a few million households, and micro-hydro configured into minigrids serves many more over 44million households use biogas made in household scale digesters for lighting and or cooking and other than 166million households rely on a new generation of more efficient biomass cookstores. [a] [Schroeder & smith, 2008]. United nations secretary, general Banki Moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new level of prosperity.] [Carrington, 2003].
