Feasibility Analysis of a Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) System for Green Hydrogen Production: A Case Study of Ikere-Gorge Dam, Oyo State, Nigeria.

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Abstract Nigeria grapples with persistent energy insecurity, characterized by limited grid access, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and mounting environmental issues. Traditional land-based photovoltaic (PV) systems often face challenges, including land-use conflicts and reduced efficiency due to thermal stress. This study examines the technical feasibility and operational performance of a Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) system at the Ikere-Gorge Dam as an energy alternative. Using RETScreen Expert software, the viability of the proposed FPV system was assessed. Key input parameters included site-specific solar irradiance, ambient/water temperatures, and detailed system specifications. The performance was evaluated using metrics such as annual energy yield, PV module operating temperature, potential for green hydrogen production, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. The results reveal that a 37.5 MW FPV system occupying an area of 1.5 km² could yield approximately 54,080 MWh of annual energy generation. Furthermore, the water-body deployment effectively reduced PV module operating temperatures, boosting energy conversion efficiency from an estimated 21.5% to 23%. Compared to land-based PV, the FPV configuration also offered ancillary benefits, including superior spatial efficiency and mitigation of reservoir water evaporation. The system is projected to facilitate an annual reduction in GHG emissions equivalent to 22,045 metric tons of CO 2 and could produce over 1.6 million kilograms of green hydrogen annually via an integrated Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. This research highlights the significant technical and environmental advantages of FPV technology, positioning it as a promising clean energy solution that could enhance energy security while supporting land resource conservation in Nigeria.
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Feasibility Analysis of a Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) System for Green Hydrogen Production: A Case Study of Ikere-Gorge Dam, Oyo State, Nigeria. | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Feasibility Analysis of a Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) System for Green Hydrogen Production: A Case Study of Ikere-Gorge Dam, Oyo State, Nigeria. Emmanuel Olorunyomi Aremu, Scott Temisan Idundun, David Olukanni, and 2 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8974822/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Nigeria grapples with persistent energy insecurity, characterized by limited grid access, heavy reliance on fossil fuels, and mounting environmental issues. Traditional land-based photovoltaic (PV) systems often face challenges, including land-use conflicts and reduced efficiency due to thermal stress. This study examines the technical feasibility and operational performance of a Floating Photovoltaic (FPV) system at the Ikere-Gorge Dam as an energy alternative. Using RETScreen Expert software, the viability of the proposed FPV system was assessed. Key input parameters included site-specific solar irradiance, ambient/water temperatures, and detailed system specifications. The performance was evaluated using metrics such as annual energy yield, PV module operating temperature, potential for green hydrogen production, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. The results reveal that a 37.5 MW FPV system occupying an area of 1.5 km² could yield approximately 54,080 MWh of annual energy generation. Furthermore, the water-body deployment effectively reduced PV module operating temperatures, boosting energy conversion efficiency from an estimated 21.5% to 23%. Compared to land-based PV, the FPV configuration also offered ancillary benefits, including superior spatial efficiency and mitigation of reservoir water evaporation. The system is projected to facilitate an annual reduction in GHG emissions equivalent to 22,045 metric tons of CO 2 and could produce over 1.6 million kilograms of green hydrogen annually via an integrated Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. This research highlights the significant technical and environmental advantages of FPV technology, positioning it as a promising clean energy solution that could enhance energy security while supporting land resource conservation in Nigeria. Energy Engineering Floating PV Electrolyzers GHG Emissions Green Hydrogen Ikere-George dam Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. 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