Evaluation of Solar Potential at Niamey: Study Data of Insolation from 2015 and 2016

Abstract

Solar energy is a very abundant renewable energy source during the day. The solar energy received in a given point of the Earth is function of the time, the season and the latitude of the point. It has been proven that the solar energy received in one day by our planet is thirty times higher than the annual global energy consumption. Africa is one of the sunniest continents of the world. Nowadays, solar energy is attracting particular attention in the implementation of the energy policies. This renewable source is a key solution to world energy problems, especially in the context of global warming. Niger is identified as among the sunniest zones of the World. Knowledge of solar potential is one of the crucial parameters to master for energy applications. In this study, continuous measurements (at intervals of 5 minutes over 24 hours) of solar radiation have been carried out on the site of the National Center of Solar Energy of Niamey. These measurements were taken using the pyranometers, allowed us to collect the values of the daily global sunshine on a horizontal plane and on an inclined plane of the years 2015 and 2016. The treatment and the exploitation of these data allowed us to determine the daily and monthly duration of sunshine, then the impact of the clouds and dust on the solar radiation, to evaluate the solar potential of the site and determine the variations of this solar potential as a function of time. The results showed that the solar potential was very favorable for many solar applications.