Design of a Subscription Based Community Solar Energy System for the Business Community of the “Back Gate”, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

This study presents a model design of a subscription based community solar energy for the business community of the “Back gate”, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo. The business community is largely dependent on the use of fossil fuel generators due to the absence of connection to the Nigeria national electricity grid. The extensive use of the fossil fuel is not only associated with environmental pollution and global warming but its reserve is also finite, non-renewable and expensive. This study presents the use of solar energy to supply the electrical energy need of twenty (20) business premises at the study location. The design was carried out according to the daily electrical load profile of the community, taking into consideration the solarirradiation data of the location, the geographical location and the weather condition. The sizing of each of the system components and the economic analysis of the system in terms of the life cycle cost and electricity unit cost was also taken into consideration. The subscription based community solar with smart meter control gives energy access at reduce cost, the total unit of consumption, unit balance and other energy status per time.The unit cost of electricity using the model design was determined as #0.078/kWh which is cheaper with real time energy costing via a smart meter thereby encouraging the usage of the energy system as an efficient system with enhanced energy accessibility, real time energy services, climate change adaption by reduction of greenhouse gas emission, clean energy development plans/implementation within the community and an investment platform for would-be investors and philanthropist.