Driving carbon zero initiative and green scenes by rooftop SPV

Due to the high cost of electricity, interruptions in the power supplied and frequent use of a fossil-powered generator in the College of Engineering, Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), there is an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and this affects the immediate surroundings as well as the environment at large. There is a need to consider alternative means of economic, reliable and sustainable power supply. This can be achieved by modelling and simulating a solar PV system off the rooftops of the College of Engineering ABUAD. Google Earth Tool and Revit software were used to determine the total roof surface area and the useful roof surface area of the rooftops. HOMER Pro was used to model and simulate the solar PV system. The total roof surface area was 7389.161m², 5210.34m² was useful for the installation of 300W solar PV panels. The optimal configuration obtained from the solar PV simulation produced 821,080kWh/year which supplied 100% of the 697,150kWh demanded per year and 12% excess energy. It also reduced the cost of electricity by over 45% from N57.14 to N31.26. Utilization of the rooftop spaces was proven to provide access to a cost-saving, clean and sustainable energy supply.