Solar Panel Calculator
Calculate the solar panel system size and battery capacity for your Nigerian home. Get an estimated installation cost.
Energy Requirements
kWh/day
hrs/day
hrs
Estimated System Size
2.00 kW
Solar Panel Capacity
2.00 kW
Battery Storage
2.7 kWh
Monthly Energy
240 kWh/month
Estimated Panel/Inverter Cost
₦700,000
Estimated Battery Cost
₦533,333
Total Estimated Cost
₦1,233,333
How to Use This Calculator
Enter your daily energy consumption in kWh (use our Appliance Energy Calculator to estimate this), the average peak sun hours for your location (Nigeria averages 4.5–5.5 hours), and how many hours of battery backup you need. The calculator estimates the solar panel capacity, battery size, and total system cost.
These are indicative cost estimates (2024–2025). Actual installation costs vary by vendor, battery type (lead-acid vs. lithium), and location. Always get 3 quotes from certified solar installers.
The Formula
System Losses = 20% (wiring, inverter efficiency, temperature)
Panel kW = Daily kWh ÷ (Peak Sun Hours × (1 − 0.20))
Battery kWh = (Daily kWh ÷ 24) × Backup Hours × 2
(÷2 for 50% Depth of Discharge safety limit)
Nigeria Peak Sun Hours:
South (Lagos, PH): 4.5–5.0 hrs/day
Central (Abuja): 5.0–5.5 hrs/day
North (Kano, Maiduguri): 5.5–6.5 hrs/day
FAQ
Complete installed system costs: 1.5kW (basic home): ₦800K–₦1.5M; 3kW (medium home): ₦2M–₦4M; 5kW (large home): ₦3.5M–₦6M; 10kW (small business): ₦7M–₦12M. Lithium battery systems cost 30–50% more than lead-acid but last 2–3× longer. Prices have reduced by 40–60% since 2020 due to cheaper panel imports from China. REAP and FG solar incentive programmes can subsidise costs.
Solar panels: 20–25 year lifespan (degrading ~0.5% per year). Inverters: 10–15 years. Lead-acid batteries: 3–5 years (require regular maintenance). Lithium batteries: 8–15 years. Given Nigeria's weather (high temperatures can reduce panel efficiency 0.4% per °C above 25°C), good ventilation and shade protection for panels is important. Annual panel cleaning in harmattan season is recommended.
A 3kW system with 10kWh battery can run simultaneously: LED TVs (3 × 0.1kW), ceiling fans (3 × 0.07kW), refrigerator (0.15kW), laptops (2 × 0.065kW), phone chargers, and LED lights. For an air conditioner (1.5kW split AC), you typically need 5kW+ system with sufficient battery. Washing machines and electric irons are high-draw appliances better avoided on small systems.