Techno-economic viability of off-grid standalone PV-powered LED street lighting system in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

The majority of the street lighting systems in Nigeria are predominantly composed of inefficient lighting fixtures powered either by the grid or diesel generators. Due to the epileptic nature of the grid and the fluctuations in diesel fuel pump prices, these methods for powering street lights are neither reliable nor sustainable. Use of energy-efficient lamps and photovoltaic (PV) panels has the tendency to reduce energy consumption and emissions. This study therefore presents a techno-economic analysis of deploying energy-efficient PV-powered street lighting systems using simple economic metrics. Environmental benefits of the proposed systems were also assessed by analyzing the reduction in CO₂ emission as well as the equivalent of oil saved. Relative to the existing grid-powered metal halide system, installation of LED PV-powered street light reduced energy consumption by at least 80%, while the grid-powered LED configuration reduced energy consumption by 80%. Economic analysis shows that the simple payback period (SPP) for the LED PV-powered technology was less than three years, while that of the grid-powered LED system was less than two years. The LED PV-powered technology had the highest CO₂ emission reduction of approximately 225 tonnes annually. Overall, street lighting using PV-powered and grid-powered LED is economically viable considering the payback time, net present value (NPV) and lifetime.