Solar or Generator? Which one should you go for?

As a business and homeowner in Nigeria, deciding on the alternative energy solution to adopt is vital to reducing your energy bills, and over-reliance on the public grid supply.

With constant power cuts, grid collapse, and the high cost of diesel or petrol bedeviling Nigeria, the need to ensure a constant supply to your home and business cannot be over-emphasized. Finding the right solution for your home and business gives you peace of mind knowing you would always have power even if the grid collapses.

Here at SystemTrust, we have helped many homeowners and businesses switch to solar and battery backup in Nigeria, giving them constant supply. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of Generators and Solar Systems and help you decide which one is best for you.

Generators

Generators are mechanical devices that generate electric current by driving an electric motor to cut magnetic lines of induction. The generator uses gasoline, either diesel or PMS to power the electric motor that generates the electric current.

Advantages of Generators:

• Generators are more affordable upfront than other alternative sources.
• Generators can provide a round-the-clock power supply as long as they have ample fuel to operate.
• Generators are available in varying sizes from small, to medium to large-scale industrial generators.

Disadvantages of Generators:

•  Generators are noisy to operate.
• Generators require monthly, quarterly, or yearly maintenance which makes them very expensive in the long run than other alternative power sources.
• Generators need fuel to operate which makes them a non-renewable source of energy. Their over-dependence on fuel makes them an unreliable source because the unavailability of fuel affects their operations.
• Generators create emissions during their operation, giving an unpleasant smell and a high carbon footprint.

Solar System Solution

Solar energy solution is growing in their adoption in Nigeria. A typical solar system uses power from the sun to generate electricity to be used by homes and businesses. It consists of Solar Panels(Photo voltaic cells) that receive sunlight and convert this sunlight into electric current, It may also consist of Inverters, which convert the Direct Current generated by the Solar Panels into Alternating Current which is used by appliances and electronic devices, it comes also with batteries to provide backup power when the sun is not shining.

Advantages of Solar System:

• A solar system is cheaper on a long-term basis than other alternative sources. After the Initial cost of Installation, it requires little or no additional cost for its maintenance and operation.
• Energy from the sun is free and abundant in supply, which means the solar system is 100% renewable and as such you don’t have to spend money on dirty, expensive fuels.
• Installing a solar system in your home greatly increases the value of your property.
• Solar energy is noiseless in its operation and environmentally friendly. It gives no emission helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
• With a Solar system, you are certain of having a constant, uninterrupted supply, because solar is not affected by grid collapse or fuel scarcity.

Installing a solar system can reduce your electricity bills by almost 80%. The sun is cost-free, eco-friendly, convenient, and requires little to no maintenance after installation. Let us help you switch to a solar solution for your home and business and say goodbye to power cuts and high electricity bills.