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At the end of November 2020, it was done: After a very short construction period, a solar hybrid power plant was completed by the German company Soventix GmbH. On the 1st of December the Federal Ministry of Power (FMP), with the financial support of the European Union and the German Government through the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), has commissioned a solar hybrid system for the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Gaduwa, Abuja, as part of the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new commissioned solar system reduces power supply costs and assures reliable and uninterrupted electricity supply to around 120 medical professionals. It has a total capacity of 260 kWp and includes a 500kWh battery energy storage system that will cover for around 37% of the total annual energy consumption by the NRL. For this purpose, Soventix supplied a 15kVA storage unit to cover the critical loads in the event of a grid failure. Additionally, the solar solution contributes to fight climate change by the displacement of two diesel generators. This will result in annual CO2 savings of around 365.58 tons of CO2.

At the commissioning ceremony, the Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Alexandre Borges Gomes said the project is a significant part of the European Union’s assistance to the Nigerian Government’s emergency response to the pandemic. “Supporting Nigeria’s testing laboratories with reliable power supply is essential to cope with the pandemic in the country”, he said.

Further activities to support the power supply for medical facilities of the NCDC and other key public institutions are planned under the framework of NESP.

Support of the German Energy Solutions Initiative

"The initial role of the German Energy Solutions Initiative’s Project Development Programme (PDP) was to identify qualified companies and bring together suitable actors," explains Henrik Personn, PDP Country Manager Nigeria, explaining the PDP's involvement in the creation of the Solar Hybrid System project. NESP contacted PDP for this project with an urgent request to establish contacts with reliable solar companies that stock the required components in Nigeria and can implement a PV hybrid project with 300-400 kWp as soon as possible. "To this end, PDP launched a survey based on selected criteria among German companies listed in the German Energy Solutions Initiative and represented by a subsidiary in Nigeria. Potential project developers for implementation were subsequently proposed to NESP.

One of the proposed companies was subsequently awarded the contract in a call for tenders, namely Soventix Hybrid Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Soventix GmbH.

System Data

Installed capacity:	260.8 kWp
Investment volume:	unknown
Location:	Gaduwa, Abuja / Nigeria
Client:	Nigerian National Centre for Disease Control – NCDC
In operation since:	1 December 2020
German business partner:	Soventix GmbH
Type:	Grid-connected hybrid rooftop solar PV
Yield:	Up to 360,000 kWh per year, depending on load requirements and grid availability
Saved CO2 emissions:	Up to 144,720 kg CO2 per year, based on actual annual yield (see above)
Number of solar panels:	652
Number of inverters:	4 Huawei 60kTL grid connected