National Grid Collapse: Solar Electricity is Cheap if You Are Serious Enough
Editor's note: In this insightful piece, Joseph Omotayo looks at solar energy as a reliable alternative to constant national grid collapse, exploring how it is cheaper to set up than many think. Examining the influx of newer products in the solar energy space, he calls on regulatory bodies to step up on quality control.
Solar electricity is not a Western phenomenon anymore. The removal of fuel subsidy about three years ago made it an enticing option for everyone. With high fuel costs, generators that had long shielded the common man against the harsh reality of a failing power sector became out of reach. Nobody imagined fuel could ever increase by over 400% in a few years. Many Nigerians became solar users as a matter of urgency, we didn’t embrace it as a source of exploring experimental alternatives. Cheap petrol ensured nobody considered it.
Unlike buying a generator, fuel and oil, having a solar setup was a different experience for many. While decades of failed government policies have made people a local government of themselves - I mean, we dig boreholes, pay for our security, and communities develop roads. Setting up a power station was altogether new. It is in that manner that we have come to see solar as an expensive venture.
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Solar electricity is arguably the cheapest energy source. The argument has often tilted towards its initial setup cost, a false narrative that misled many for years, slowing adoption even at a time when it is the dependable alternative for Nigerians.
Is solar system expensive?
When I installed my first solar system four years ago, it was alien to see panels on roofs. In fact, going solar was a waste of money. Fuel was still heavily subsidised, selling for below N200. I remember telling a friend to consider it. He had the means. He was running his generators almost 24 hours a day. His excuse was the initial setup cost. At that time, the only incentive was the perennial fuel scarcity that characterised the end of Buhari’s administration.
The knowledge of the solar ecosystem was minimal. I recall my shock seeing how much a 1kva setup would cost me. It was 10 times higher than going for a generator of the same size. The biggest discouragement of it all was the number of appliances it could power. Almost a year down the line, fuel selling at N800+/litre made it a good investment.
People often look at solar energy’s initial setup cost, without considering it requires little or no running cost, unlike a generator. Back to my friend, he needed no further encouragement when reality hit, he went straight for a 4kva tubular setup as his fuel expenses hit him hard.
Glut in the Chinese solar market
In 2024, setting up a solar system became much cheaper than it was a few years before. The glut in the Chinese solar market made that happen. China's policy of dominating the solar energy market pumped supply so hard that it overwhelmed demand. While this has affected their solar industry, leading to production lines slowing down, it has made solar components, especially panels, cheaper to get. Tier 1 panels like Jinko and Longi are selling lower than they used to, with higher technology like N cells and bi-facial types creating more power generation efficiency. The price of a 600w panel is cheaper than what it was for lesser wattage panels like 400w years ago.
The same goes for batteries and inverters. More companies coming into the market are creating competitive pricing for end users. Brands like Firman, known for making generators, are now into solar production. Itel and Hisense, known for mobile gadgets and appliances, are also aggressively competing in the market.
Sourcing solar materials
Getting your solar components yourself as against outsourcing the work will greatly reduce the cost. DIY forums in Nigeria are championing this cause, giving people the necessary education needed in choosing batteries, panels and inverters; the main materials needed for a setup.
When you go that route, you cut costs by a wider margin than contracting the work out. I did that years ago and only ended up with components the solar company deemed necessary. I could have got more for my money.
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Load management
Ensuring your solar electricity is cheap begins with knowing what loads you want to power. Don’t think because you are churning out the amount that would get you a 5kva generator on a 1kva inverter, the solar would have to power the same appliances the former should. There is no running cost on solar, as it is with a fuel-powered generator.
Ensuring you do not spend much on solar begins with sizing down your power needs to the basics. Ask yourself: what are the most important things to me right now if I needed power urgently?
Solar use needs market regulation
With more solar products getting into the market, the government needs to create tighter quality control to ensure that their outputs match their adverts. Right now, solar experts and enthusiasts are doing that job with live capacity tests on social media.
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Joseph Omotayo is the head of the Human Interest Desk at Legit. He has been writing about solar energy for more than three years.
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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
