Feasibility Assessment of Solar Power Systems for Medical Equipment in Off-Grid Clinics in Zamfara State

Power supply unreliability is a fundamental barrier to medical equipment functionality in off-grid clinics in rural Zamfara State, and solar energy systems represent a viable solution whose technical and economic feasibility requires local assessment. This study assesses the feasibility of solar power systems for driving essential medical equipment loads at off-grid clinics in four LGAs of Zamfara State, covering Gusau, Maru, Birnin Magaji, and Tsafe. Equipment loads assessed at each clinic were inventoried and categorized by power consumption using measured wattage data, covering refrigerators for vaccine storage, examination lights, blood pressure monitors, glucometers, and basic sterilization equipment. Solar irradiance data for the Zamfara location were obtained from the NASA POWER Climate Data Access tool to determine daily peak sun hours. A system sizing methodology based on load calculation, battery capacity, panel sizing, and charge controller specification was applied for each clinic's load profile. Economic analysis compared lifecycle costs of solar systems against equivalent diesel generator running costs over a ten-year period. Results show that daily energy demands ranged from 0.8 to 2.4 kilowatt-hours across the four clinic types. Solar system sizing estimates yielded panel arrays from 200 to 600 watts with corresponding battery banks of 200 to 600 ampere-hours. Lifecycle cost analysis demonstrates that solar systems become cost-competitive with diesel generators within four to five years in all four scenarios. The study recommends the Zamfara State Ministry of Health adopt a standardized solar power specification for off-grid clinic construction contracts. Keywords: solar power, medical equipment, off-grid clinic, feasibility assessment, Zamfara State.