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Impact of global warming on photovoltaic power generation over West Africa
摘要： Many West African countries are plagued with poor electricity. The abundance of solar irradiance over the region makes solar energy an attractive solution to the problem, but there is a dearth of information on how the ongoing solar dimming and global warming may alter the solar energy over the region in the future at various global warming levels. This study investigates the impact of climate change on photovoltaic power generation potential (PVP) over West Africa under four global warming levels (1.5°C; 2.0°C; 2.5°C and 3.0°C) and under the representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP 8.5) climate change scenario. Fourteen regional climate model simulations from the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX) were analysed for the study. The capability of the simulations to reproduce the PVP and climate variables over West Africa is quantified. The results show that the CORDEX simulation ensemble captures the spatial distribution and the annual cycle of climate variables and PVP over West Africa, though with few biases. The simulation and observation indicate that PVP over West Africa ranges from 8% to 25% and the annual cycle is influenced by the seasonal variation of the monsoon system. The simulation ensemble projects a decrease of PVP over West Africa in the future and indicates that the magnitude of the decrease grows with warming levels. The maximum decrease in PVP projected over any country or zone in the region is less than 3.8% even for a warming level of 3.0°C. Hence, the study suggests that ongoing global warming may have an influence on PVP over West Africa.
关键词： West Africa,Global warming,Global dimming,Solar energy,Paris agreement
更新于2025-09-12 10:27:22
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The Paris Agreement 2015 as a Primer for Developing Nigerian Off-grid Solar Electricity
摘要： The Paris Climate Change Agreement 2015 amassed diverse commentaries from renewable energy proponents and environmentalists. For environmentalists, it represents a vindication of environmental multilateralism given that for the first time in the history of international climate change law, over 196 sovereign states voluntarily subscribed to be bound by a treaty in furtherance of mitigation of climate change. In the same vein, renewable energy promoters applaud it for being the needed catalyst that will exfoliate greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by ushering in a new age dominated by renewable energy and other clean energy sources. The Nigerian government has joined the movement by signing the Agreement and undertaking to develop off-grid renewable solar electricity of 13,000 gigawatts by 2030 in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs). These targeted off-grid solar electricity would be functional in combating the electricity poverty in Nigeria. Some studies by renowned international bodies are pointers that only 45.6 per cent of the entire Nigerian population had access to electricity in 2016. Even the population that has access to electricity get an average of four hours of erratic supply daily. The electricity problem is largely due to the Nigerian electricity grid. The Nigerian electricity sector is centralised given that electricity is generated in large gas and hydro power stations. Consequently, it is distributed to consumers across Nigeria through a national grid. This grid is unsuitable for the electrification of 65 per cent of the Nigerian rural population because they are in remote rural areas. Secondly, the electricity infrastructures used in Nigeria are old and not adequately maintained. As a result, they frequently break down. Furthermore, these infrastructures are targets for vandals. Owing to the interconnectivity of the grid, regular breakdown or vandalism against a part of the infrastructure disrupts the quality of supply of power from the national grid. Hence, if a one hundred percent electrification rate were to be achieved, Nigeria would have to resort to decentralised electricity which dispenses with the need for the use of a national grid. Thus, the targeted off-grid solar electricity is a welcome development.
关键词： Nigerian Off-grid Solar Electricity,Renewable Energy,Climate Change,Electricity Poverty,Paris Agreement
更新于2025-09-10 09:29:36