Empirical Estimation of Monthly Average Daily Solar Radiation and Solar Electricity Output from Sunshine Hours in Ogoja in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper presents an estimation of the monthly average daily global solar radiation for Ogoja from sunshine hours using Angrom-Prescott sunshine-based model. The solar photovoltaic power and energy output were also estimated from the solar radiation. The monthly average daily extra-terrestrial radiation was estimated and used with the sunshine hour's data obtained from the Nigeria Meteorological Agency, (NIMET), Margaret EKPO International Airport, Calabar, Nigeria to estimate the monthly average daily global solar radiation for a period of five years (2012-2017). The results show a variation of solar radiation with sunshine hour, season of the year with higher solar radiation in the dry season with the highest value of 22.34MJ/m2/day in the month of April and lower in rainy season with the least value of 16.27MJ/m2/day in the month of July. The results also show that about 4.56MWh can be produce per day using 2453 solar PV panels of area 1.65m² each in an acre of land. These results have provided a data base of monthly average daily global solar radiation for Ogoja and have shown that Ogoja is suitable for the installation of solar PV for the generation of electric power and use for other applications.