Izuchukwu OkosiBusiness owners and private individuals in Nigeria groan over the inadequate availability of electricity across the federation as steady power supply in Nigeria has been epileptic for a over four decades.
When indeed they have it, users are offered this basic necessity for a limited time thus leading to the unpopular chorus of “Up Nepa” whenever the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), the government paralstatal in charge of electricity, turns on the light.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe need for regular power which Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME) as well as multinationals require to function effectively led to the importation of generators from overseas especially from the Asian market.
Generators have been useful alternative source of power. In fact, a lot of people do not trust ‘NEPA’ but they put a lot of faith in their generator sets.
However, in recent years even the dependability in generators have started to wane.
The reason for the drop in the number of generator users is because of the new technology in town: Solar Panels.
Renewable energy is vastly considered as the way to go and is less of a health risk than both electric and generators.
In this piece, Prime Business Africa presents the prices of Solar Panels and also speaks to both users and sellers of the product.
Solar panels do not come alone. To use it, there are other components that are useful to the users. These include: Inverters, Solar Charge Controllers, UPS, Deep Cycle batteries, etc.
But how does Solar panels work?
Solar panels are gadgets that turn light from the sun into electricity. This means that they help us use clean, renewable energy, which is important for the future of the planet.
Traditional electricity comes with its usual challenges especially in Nigeria.
A lot of Nigerian families rarely witnessed an extended period of time when the light do not go off.
Generators lauded as the new messiah at least for the low income earners due to the availability of the popular brand fondly called ‘I pass My Neighbour’ is not totally safe as its deadly emissions have killed a lot of people.
Solar Panels came to the rescue and has been the game changer providing unbridled joy to many homes and business establishments like Banks, Government houses, Manufacturing firms, Hotels, Big restaurants, Factories and many more.
One of the reasons why Solar panels are popular with its users is the durability that it offers. A good solar power supply can serve its owner(s) for upwards of 25 years.
Before we delve into the prices of solar panels, what are the types of solars and inverters that we have out there in the market and what are the things they offer?
Types of Solar Panels available are – monocrystalline panels (Monocrystalline Silicon)(Single Silicon), Polycrystalline Silicon(Multi-silicon) and Solar Thermal Panels.
According to walemarketer.com, a household name on all information regarding solar panels, different types of solars serve different purposes.
“The heart of a solar electric system and power solution is the Solar Panel itself. There are various types of Solar panels to generate electricity from the sun,” it stated.
“These Panels refers to a panel designed to absorb the sun’s rays as a source of energy for generating electricity or heating. A photovoltaic (in a short PV) module is a packaged, connected assembly of typically 6×10 Solar cells.
There are two major types of solar panels in Nigeria namely polycrystalline solar panels & monocrystalline solar panels.
Quality solar panels can be bought online on Pricenow.com and it informs that Monocystalline solar panel cells are made by forming silicon bars and cutting them into wafers.
Monocrystalline solar panels are made with a black hue (i.e the panels are black in color) and are more efficient than polycrystalline solar panels.
On the other hand, polycrystalline solar panels cells are made by melting silicon together to form the wafers.
Generally, polycrystalline solar panels are made with a blue hue (i.e the panels are blue in color) but are less efficient than polycrystalline solar panels and cheaper in price.
Types of Solar Panels and their Components
MONO CRYSTALLINE
Nominal 12v DC For standard output
Heavy-duty anodized frames
High transparent low-iron, tempered glass
Rugged design to withstand high wind pressure
Hail and snow load
Aesthetic appearance
W-Series Inverter
1.5KVA – 10KVA
The W Series inverter (Wall-Mounted) is an ideal choice for homes and small businesses like restaurants, eateries, and offices.
The higher KVA solutions in the W Series provide dependable and superior power backup, adept at managing higher loads, fulfilling high requirements, and operating heavy-duty devices.
L-Series Inverter
2.5KVA – 10KVA
The L Series (Tower) Inverter, loaded with robust features like pure sine wave output, smart LCD integration display, and an extra fault query function, simplifies real-time monitoring. It’s capable of energizing heavy-duty appliances in homes and offices.
L-Series Inverter
2.5KVA – 10KVA
The L Series (Tower) Inverter, loaded with robust features like pure sine wave output, smart LCD integration display, and an extra fault query function, simplifies real-time monitoring. It’s capable of energizing heavy-duty appliances in homes and offices.
NB Series Inverter
15KVA – 30KVA
The NB Series inverters are specially designed for industrial, outdoor, and rugged machinery settings.
These high-quality inverters are ideal for powering heavy machinery, outdoor lights, large industrial appliances , and beyond, performing exceptionally even under harsh conditions.
HDSX 3 Phase Inverter
15KVA – 100KVA
Application Area
Each module is rated by its Direct Current (DC) output power under standard test conditions, and typically ranges from 100w panel to 365 watts.
The efficiency of a module determines the area of a module given the same rated output – an 8% efficient 230-watt module will have twice the area of a 16% efficient 230-watt module.
From what our source noted, it is important to know the differences between a Mono or Polycrystalline Solar panel. The lifespan of a solar panel is a major factor in selecting the best.
Solar panels range from 10 watts to 600 watts and they come in different shades with varying degrees.
The 10 watts are only able to power a few of one’s electrical equipment at home while the 600 watts are available for industrial use.
There are various types of solar panels available, and the price of each type varies depending on the quality of the panel.
Monocrystalline panels are the most expensive but also the most efficient. Polycrystalline panels are slightly less expensive than monocrystalline panels but are also slightly less efficient. Thin-film panels are the least expensive but also the least efficient.
The capacity of a solar panel refers to the amount of electricity it can produce. The higher the capacity, the more expensive the panel.
Solar Panel Installation Cost In Nigeria
A well done installation of solars is key and it costs on average between N100, 000 to ₦200,000.
The cost of installation can vary widely depending on the size of the system, the complexity of the installation, and the location of the installation.
An important part of a good solar system is the inverter.
The inverter is required to convert the DC electricity produced by the solar panels into usable AC electricity. Inverters can be expensive, and the cost depends on the size and quality of the inverter.
Other costs associated with solar panel installation include wiring, mounting hardware, and permits.
The cost of solar panels in Nigeria can range anywhere between ₦10,000 to ₦300,000, depending on the size, power capacity and type of solar panel you are buying.
Solar panel prices in Nigeria:
10Watt solar panel prices – 10,500 Naira to 15,500 Naira.
20Watt solar panel prices – 17,500 Naira to 20,000 Naira.
30Watt solar panel prices – 20,500 Naira to 24,500 Naira.
50Watt solar panel prices – 26,500 Naira to 30,600 Naira.
60Watt solar panel prices – 29,000 Naira to 33,600 Naira.
80Watt solar panel prices – 31,500 Naira to 36,500 Naira.
100Watt solar panel prices – 35,500 Naira to 40,600 Naira.
150Watt solar panel prices – 45,600 Naira to 50,000 Naira.
200Watt solar panel prices – 66,000 Naira to 69,000 Naira.
220Watt solar panel prices – 69,600 Naira to 72,000 Naira.
250Watt solar panel prices – 74,500 Naira to 78,000 Naira.
270Watt solar panel prices – 78,000 Naira to 82,000 Naira.
300Watt solar panel prices – 84,500 Naira to 88,000 Naira.
320Watt solar panel prices – 86,500 Naira to 89,000 Naira.
350Watt solar panel prices – 96,000 Naira to 99,000 Naira.
380Watt solar panel prices – 98,500 Naira to 102,000 Naira.
400Watt solar panel prices – 10,200 Naira to 106,000 Naira.
450Watt solar panel prices – 108,000 Naira to 112,000 Naira.
500Watt solar panel prices – 126,500 Naira to 130,000 Naira.
600Watt solar panel prices – 149,500 Naira to 160,000 Naira.
Prime Business Africa was on the streets to get the opinions of some sellers of solar panels and the end users on how the business has gone so far.
Mrs Olamide Grace Adeoye who resides in Agbara area of Ogun state spoke on the patronage for solar panels sold by her husband.
“My husband sells inverters and panels. Business has been okay because people need electric to do their businesses. It’s particularly booming in a place like Ogun state because we have a lot of factories and manufacturers that require steady light.
“He has clients also in places like Ajah, Lagos. Despite being an highbrow area of Lagos, they rarely have electric light there.
“Sales are better during the dry season because the weather is hotter so people would need light. The business is a good one but there are a couple of times we also experience a dry spell,” Mrs Adeoye noted.
Mr Francis Obi is a big dealer in solar panel at the Alaba international market. He bemaoans the incessant shutdown of the big market but clarified that it’s a good business when all things are going well.
“We receive orders from big (rich) men and top companies. They all want to do their business with ease and solar power do not pose risks, as much as generators do.
“The closing of the market has done us well honestly. Most people are not able to buy Solars because they are relatively expensive. You have to feed well to buy a product in excess of N500, 000 or even up to N1 million as the case may be.
“There are times that even up to one full month, customers haven’t priced any product or service but when they do, it could come big,” Obi admitted.
Prime Business Africa scooped that there are small solar devices that have been imported into the country that is less expensive than the regular ones in the market to cater for the needs of Nigerians with low income.
These devices do not power electronics like television or refrigerators but only take care of illuminating the rooms.
From findings, the importers and dealers of solar panels are not able to do much of late since the dollar rate have not helped matters.
The Federal Government’s subsidy removal has been identified as the main reason for this but nonetheless the future is even brighter.
In some parts of Nigeria, electricity users have admitted that power has been better.
Could the advent of solar panels be a threat to the power sector in Nigeria?
A respondent who requests not to be named by Prime Business Africa insists that if a, prospective buyer can afford it, now is the best time to purchase a solar power before government policies adversely affect the purchasing power and availability of the products.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
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