Analysis of Existing Solar System and Design of an Additional System for a Cell Phone Charging Facility in Nigeria

Abstract

Electricity is the backbone of every business; without it, many operations cannot run. Businesses, especially supermarkets, flourish with a steady electricity supply. This paper analyzes the existing hybrid power system at Better Mart and proposes a new cell phone charging system at Remlek Bus Stop, Badore, Ajah, Lagos State, Nigeria. The supermarket’s peak electrical load is 44.270 kW, which must be reliably met for smooth business operation. The existing solar system comprises 40 W solar panels mounted on the roof, 5 MPPT charge controllers, a 32.5 kVA inverter, and 21 V/220 Ah luminous batteries. A 50 kVA diesel generator and the grid supply power when the PV system batteries are low. The proposed hybrid power system includes 240 Trina Duomax PEG14 PV panels, each rated 320 W (total 76.8 kW), connected to a 360 VDC bus, a 50 kVA Caterpillar diesel generator, the grid, a charge controller, a 24 kW Fronius Symo inverter, and 30 V/220 Ah EnerSys PowerSafe SBS 1800 batteries. HOMER Pro optimizes the input variables of these components to generate a system that meets the electrical load demand of Better Mart. The proposed system generates 116,046 kWh/year with a renewable fraction of 92%. Its net present cost (NPC) is $31,718.94, the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is $0.03671 per kWh, and the annual operating cost is $931.04. This system is recommended to reduce electricity bills and support an additional charging facility.