The Nigerian state of Lagos has released plans to install 1GW of rooftop photovoltaic systems by 2030. This target in Lagos State, Nigeria, will see the installation of 600MW of commercial and industrial rooftop PV systems as part of a plan to install 1GW of PV systems by 2030.

Nigerian Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Resources Olarere Odusote explained how the Lagos State Government and the World Bank will achieve the 1GW target. The Lagos state government and the World Bank need to invest between $350 million and $700 million in a 500MW rooftop PV project by mid-2027, Odusote said. Among the photovoltaic systems with a total installed capacity of 1GW, 200MW of rooftop photovoltaic systems will be installed, he said.

The plans were discussed at a recent workshop between Lagos State and the World Bank. It is expected that commercial and industrial (C&I) PV systems will be owned by leasing companies, and households and public institutions will own and operate PV systems themselves. The electricity supply and demand gap in the Lagos State grid is as high as 83%, reaching 33TWh to 43TWh. Odusote described rooftop PV systems as one of the potential solutions being considered to make up for grid shortages. Keywords: engineering news, overseas news

The workshop culminated in a conclusion that funding for the installation of rooftop PV systems will be provided in the form of grants, equity investments and cheap loans from donor agencies, equity investors and commercial lenders. Furthermore, by the end of 2021, the installed capacity of grid-connected PV systems in Nigeria will be 33MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.Editor/XingWentao