Assessment of Solar Energy Potential of East Gojjam Zone Ethiopia Using Angestrom-Prescott Model

Abstract:

Only a small number of Ethiopia’s rural population has access to electricity. These rural areas can be electrified using different electrification approaches. One of the prime challenges in the decision making process is to obtain reliable information about the energy potential of the region under consideration. In this paper, an assessment of the solar energy potential of East Gojjam Zone in Ethiopia is presented. In the study area, there are only four meteorological measurement stations, namely: Debre Markos, Debrewerk, Mota, and Yetnora. The data for the hours of sunshine for these sites is collected from the National Meteorological Agency, Bahir Dar Branch Office. The data is prepared and used to calculate the mean global horizontal solar radiation using Angestrom-Prescott (AP) Model. An AP model for the four study sites was developed. The model regression coefficients, a and b, are estimated for each study site for respective latitudes, average hours of sunshine and day length. According to the models, the annual mean daily global horizontal radiation for Debre Markos, Debrewerk, Mota, and Yetnora is 5.88, 6.52, 6.28, and 6.31 kWh/m²/day, respectively, and 6.30kWh/m²/day for East Gojjam Zone, which is actually a very good solar energy potential. According to the monthly average global horizontal solar radiation profiles, the study sites receive the highest solar radiation in April and lowest solar radiation in July and August. The radiation in Debre Markos varies between 3.97 and 5.88kWh/m²/day, but Debrewerk receives more uniform solar radiation throughout the year. By considering intermittency and average solar energy potential of the four sites, Debrewerq and Debre Markos are the best and the worst sites, respectively, for large solar energy projects.

• Periodical: International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (Volume 53)
• Pages: 171-179
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/JERA.53.171
• Online since: March 2021
• Authors: Engidaw Hailu*, Ayodeji Olalekan Salau, Amache Jara Godebo
• Keywords: Angestrom-Prescott Model, East Gojjam Zone, Solar Energy Potential, Solar Radiation, Sunshine Duration

References

[1] A. Dalelo, Rural Electrification in Ethiopia: Opportunities and Bottlenecks. Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa (2019) 180.

DOI: 10.33564/ijeast.2022.v07i03.005

[2] Energy Situation in Ethiopia, energypedia, 2017. [Online]. Available: https://energypedia.info/wiki/Ethiopia_Energy_Situation.

[3] A. Tesfa, Feasibility Study of Off-grid Hybrid Systems: Mini- Hydro, PV and Wind for Rural Electrifcation in Ethiopia, Addis Abeba: Addis Abeba University, (2015) 138.

DOI: 10.15415/jmrh.2015.21005

[4] Ethiopia's Transformational Approach to Universal Electrification. World Bank Group, 8 March 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/03/08/ethiopias-transformational-approach-to-universal-electrification.

[5] F. Rizzo, Electricity Supply to Africa and Developing Economies–Challenges and Opportunities, in: 8th Southern African Regional Conference, (2017).

[6] Feasibility Study on Mega Solar, Hybrid Mini Grid and Rural Electrification for Communities by Solar PV System in Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Republic of Kenya. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, (2015).

[7] M. Jacobson, C. Draxl, T. Jimenez, B. O'Neill, Assessing the Wind Energy Potential in Bangladesh, National Renewable energy Labortory, (2018).

[8] Z.A. Alemu, A.A. Ahmed, A.W. Yalew et al., Spatial Variations of Household Food Insecurity in East Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: Implications for Agroecosystem-Based Interventions, Agric and Food Security, 6, (2017), 36.

DOI: 10.1186/s40066-017-0113-9

[9] G.D. Nage, Estimation of Monthly Average Daily Solar Radiation from Meteorological Parameters: Sunshine Hours and Measured Temperature in Tepi, Ethiopia, International Journal of Energy and Environmental Science, 3(1) (2018), 19-26.

DOI: 10.11648/j.ijees.20180301.12

[10] F. Drake, Y. Mulugeta, Assessment of Solar and Wind Energy Resources in Ethiopia, Solar Energy, 57(3) (2017), 1996-2004.

DOI: 10.1016/s0038-092x(96)00074-6

[11] N. Argaw, Estimation of Solar Radiation Energy of Ethiopia from Sunshine Data, International Journal of Solar Energy, 18(2) (2016) 103-113.

DOI: 10.1080/01425919608914309

[12] G. Bekele, G. Boneya, Design of a Photovoltaic-Wind Hybrid Power Generation System for Ethiopian Remote Area, Energy procedia, 14 (2012) 1760-1765.

DOI: 10.1016/j.egypro.2011.12.1164

[13] G. Bekele, G. Tadesse, Feasibility study of small Hydro/PV/Wind hybrid system for off-grid rural electrification in Ethiopia, Applied Energy, 97 (2012) 5-15.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.11.059

[14] T. Bayou, A. Assefa, Solar Radiation Maps for Ethiopia, Journal of EAEA, 8, (1989) 7-16.

[15] H. Ibrahim, Estimation of Global Solar Radiation Using Sunshine-based and and Temperature Based models: case study of Adama Town, Haramaya, M.Sc. Thesis, Haramaya University, (2015) 115.

[16] G. Tadesse, G. Bekele, Feasibility study of small Hydro/PV/Wind hybrid system for off-grid rural electrification in Ethiopia, Applied Energy, (2012) 5-15.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.11.059

[17] K. Namrata, S. Saksena, S.P. Sharma, Estimation of Global and Diffuse Solar Radiation for Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India, International Journal of Science and Advanced Technology, 2(1) (2012) 44-47.

[18] H.O. Nnabuenyi, L.N. Okoli, F.C. Nwosu, G. Ibe, Estimation of Global Solar Radiation Using Sunshine and Temperature Based Models for Oko Town in Anambra State, Nigeria, American Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 3(2) (2017) 8-14.

[19] R.C.S.H. Pandey, Estimating Angstrom-Prescott Coefficients for India and Developing a Correlation between Sunshine Hours and Global Solar Radiation for India, International Scholarly Research Notices, (2013) 1-7.

DOI: 10.1155/2013/403742

[20] M.N.I. Sarkar, Estimation of solar radiation from cloud cover data, Renewables: Wind, Water and Solar, 3(11) (2016) 1-15.

DOI: 10.1186/s40807-016-0031-7

[21] S. Tessema, G. Bekele, Resource assessment and optimization study of efficient type hybrid power system for electrification of Rural District in Ethiopia, International Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 3(6) (2014) 331-340.

DOI: 10.11648/j.ijepe.20140306.16