Graduation Date

Summer 2019

Document Type

Thesis

Program

Master of Science degree with a major in Environmental Systems, option Energy, Technology, and Policy

Committee Chair Name

Dr. Arne Jacobson

Committee Chair Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Second Committee Member Name

Dr.Peter Alstone

Second Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Third Committee Member Name

Dr. Charles Chamberlin

Third Committee Member Affiliation

HSU Faculty or Staff

Keywords

Solar water pumping, Nigeria, Pumps, Energy technology, Solar energy, Renewable energy, Solar pump, Primary health centre, School, Africa, Pump curve, Pump modeling, Water, Rural public facilities

Subject Categories

Environmental Systems

Abstract

This thesis presents a techno-economic feasibility analysis of solar water pumping systems in public facilities located in rural parts of Nigeria. Three different public facilities namely, a primary health care center in Ibwa (PHC, Ibwa), a comprehensive health care center in Kwali (CHC, Kwali), and the LEA Primary School in Mapa (LEA School, Mapa), all located in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria, were analyzed. The facilities considered in the study have varying levels of water demand (micro, small, and medium), and they are used as cases to establish the techno-economic suitability of solar water pumping systems to deliver water at such sites. This study provides a review of challenges associated with the provision of clean water in public facilities in Nigeria and a step-by-step guide to design a solar water pumping system that can be used to provide this water. It also provides a method to optimize the cost of installing these systems with the help of a model and compares the cost of systems in cases where the sizing is determined by a standard design procedure with the cost of systems when sizing is based on an optimization model.

The results of optimization identify that the upfront cost of the system can be reduced by 1.5%, 9%, and 23% for PHC, Ibwa, CHC Kwali and LEA School Mapa, respectively. Results of the economic analysis indicate that the cost of water from the solar water pumping system is half of the cost of purchasing water (if these facilities were to procure water from the local water distributors to fulfill their water demand) for CHC Kwali, and four times less for the LEA School, Mapa. However, due to its smaller size, the cost of water from the solar pumping system for PHC Ibwa is about twice the cost of purchased water. A sensitivity analysis on storage capacity, PV array size, and cost of the system highlights the importance of optimizing the relationship between PV array size and storage tank size for a given level of water demand. A system designed and analyzed through a modeling tool can therefore enhance the cost-effectiveness of solar pumping systems at public facilities in rural areas.

Citation Style

APA

Share

 
COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.