Assessing the Impact of Economic Solar Energy Systems on Regional Development in Nigeria and Africa
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study presents the design and analysis of a 5 kW solar tree system tailored for residential applications in Bauchi State, Nigeria, offering a cost-effective and space-efficient renewable energy solution. Aimed at meeting a daily energy demand of 30,000 Wh, the system is optimized based on the region’s solar irradiance levels. The design incorporates essential components, including photovoltaic (PV) modules, a charge controller, a battery bank, an inverter, and a structurally robust steel support framework. Performance evaluations indicate an operational efficiency exceeding 86% and annual electricity cost savings of approximately $1,415. Structural validation using engineering analysis yields a safety factor of 2.85, confirming the system's resilience to wind loads and environmental stresses. The study underscores the potential of solar tree systems to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and contribute to Nigeria’s broader transition toward sustainable energy infrastructure.
Downloads
Article Details

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
References
Adaramola, M. S., Agboola, A. F., & Oyebode, O. A. (2022). Solar energy for sustainable development in Nigeria: Opportunities and challenges. Energy Reports, 8, 678-689.
Ahmad, S., Mohamad, A., & Hamzah, A. (2020). Residential solar energy systems: Optimizing system components. Journal of Renewable Energy, 2020, 1-12.
C.Bhuvaneswari, R. Rajeswari & others, (2013, 12)” Idea to Design A Solar Tree Using Nanowire Solar Cells”- International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume3, Issue 12.
Carabajal, A. T., Orsot, A., Moudio, M. P. E., Haggai, T., Okonkwo, C. J., Jarrard III, G. T., & Selby, N. S. (2024). Social and Economic Impact Analysis of Solar Mini-Grids in Rural Africa: A Cohort Study from Kenya and Nigeria. arXiv preprint arXiv:2401.02445. arxiv.org
Disch, R. (n.d.). PlusEnergy. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
Dr. P. Jayakumar, “Guiding Principle For a Resource Assessment Programme,” Solar Energy Resource Assessment Handbook Prepared for APCTT, Of the United Nations – Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Kalogirou, S. A. (2009). Solar energy engineering: Processes and systems. Academic Press.
Elisavet Dimitrokalia, Jamie Mackrilla, Graham Jonesb, Yorck Ramachersb,Rebecca Caina, “Moving away from flat solar panels to PV Trees: Exploring ideas and people’s perceptions”, International Conference on Sustainable Design, Engineering and Construction, Procedia Engineering 118 (2015) 1208 – 1216.
Guda, H. A. and Aliyu U. O., (2015, 1),Design of a Stand-Alone Photovoltaic System for a Residence in Bauchi”, International Journal of Engineering and Technology, Volume 5 No. Issue 1.
Hosseini, S. E., & Wahid, M. A. (2018). The role of residential solar energy in sustainable energy systems. Energy Policy, 113, 91-101.
Hyder, F., Sudhakar, K., & Mamat, R. (2018). Solar PV tree design: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 82, 1079-1096.
International Bar Association. (2024). Navigating the regulatory landscape for distributed solar power in Nigeria. Retrieved from ibanet.org
Ishaq H, Ibrahim U, (2012, 12), “Design Of an Off Grid Photovoltaic System: A Case Study Of Government Technical College, Wudil, Kano State” International Journal of Scientific& Technology Research Volume 2, Issue12.
Koshalek, R. (2005). Green Piece. Los Angeles Magazine, October.Stock, J. (2007). The Solar House. Smart Home Owner, 33, 14-16.
LeBlanc, S. (2005). Going Solar. The New York Times, May 17. Snoonian, D. (2005). Solar Umbrella House. Architectural Record Houses, April, 176-181.
Mulyungi, P. (2021). Ashama solar power plant, West Africa's largest, coming up in Nigeria. Construction Review Online. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
Ohunakin, O. S., Adaramola, M. S., & Oyewola, O. M. (2014). Solar energy applications in Nigeria: Barriers and recommendations. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 32, 294-303.
Patil, A., Mohite, V., & Waghmare, L. (2015). Solar Tree: A review. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications, 5(5), 46-50.
Ratzel, D. (2020). Solar settlement "Am Schlierberg". Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org
S.N. Maity, (2013, 2) “Development of Solar Power Tree – An Innovation that Uses Up Very Less Land and Yet enerates much more Energy from the Sun Rays by SPV Method”, Journal of Environment and Nano Technology, Volume 2, 59-69 pp.
Sharma, A., Tiwari, G. N., & Sood, Y. R. (2016). Solar tree design for power generation: A review. Renewable Energy, 96, 245-252.
Sikka, R. (2019). Design and Implementation of Solar Tree. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJITEE), 8(12S), 180-182. ijitee.org
Sovacool, B. K., Griffiths, S., & Kim, J. (2021). Renewable energy transitions in developing economies. Renewable Energy, 164, 1-15.
Subrata Kr Mandal, Antanu Maity, S Nimiety, (2015, 3)” Solar Tree- An Innovative Approach for Rural Energy Source”, Applied Science Reports.
Sushma Gupta, Monish Gupta, (2015, 3),” The Benefits and Applications of Solar Tree with Natural Beauty of Trees “, Applied Science Report, PSCI Publications, 117-124.
Tiwari, P., Singh, R., & Sharma, K. (2017). Innovations in solar tree design for optimized energy harvesting. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 73, 1080-1090.
Twidell, J., & Weir, T. (2015). Renewable Energy Resources. Routledge.
Zhang, Y., Wang, Z., & Li, J. (2020). Renewable energy systems and energy security in developing regions. Energy Research & Social Science, 70, 20.




















