By Yemi Olakitan
Nigeria is the 16th largest producer of solar power in Africa, according to a report by Arem Solar, a renewable energy company based in Lagos State, Nigeria.
The report, “Solar Energy Capacity in Africa”, which was released on Tuesday, analysed the solar energy capacity generated by 54 African countries.
Solar energy is the radiation from the sun capable of producing heat, causing chemical reactions, and generating electricity.
Solar energy capacity, on the other hand, is the maximum amount of solar energy that can be generated by a specific system or in a particular location within a given period.
This capacity can vary from small residential homes to large commercial industries that are spread throughout the country.
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The report said one megawatt (MW) of solar energy could generate enough electricity to power 800 homes in 24 hours.
According to the report, the average solar energy capacity in Africa is 217 MW, but more than 80 percent of countries in the continent did not produce over 200 MW.
The report said Nigeria is the 16th country in Africa that produces the most solar power at 70 MW.
It said South Africa is the largest producer of solar power capacity in the continent at 6,326 MW, followed by Egypt at 1,724 MW.
By region, the report said southern Africa generates 6,652 MW of solar power, followed by northern Africa with 3,392 MW.
It said eastern Africa generates 767 MW while western Africa produces 763 MW solar power capacity.The report noted that residents of African countries adopt the use of solar energy because of the “un-reliable grid power supply” in the continent.
