Assessment of Solar Energy Resource Potential for Industrial Heat Applications in Kano State

Industrial process heat, accounting for a significant fraction of manufacturing energy demand, can be partially or fully supplied by concentrated solar thermal systems in high-irradiance regions. Kano State in North West Nigeria receives mean annual solar irradiance exceeding 5.8 kWh per square metre per day, making it suitable for solar industrial heat applications. This study assesses the solar energy resource potential for medium-temperature industrial heat applications in Kano State's textile and food processing industries. Solar irradiance data from 10 years of NASA POWER satellite estimates and three ground-based pyranometer stations are used to characterise the direct normal irradiance distribution across the state. A parabolic trough solar collector performance model is parameterised and simulated for representative textile dyeing and groundnut oil processing applications using TRNSYS software. Results indicate that solar parabolic trough systems could supply 35 to 52 percent of medium-temperature heat demand (100 to 250 degrees Celsius) for the assessed industrial processes in Kano. The levelised cost of solar heat is estimated at 12 to 18 Nigerian naira per megajoule, competitive with natural gas at current prices. The study provides a resource assessment framework for the Kano State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Technology. Keywords: solar thermal, industrial process heat, parabolic trough, Kano State, energy resource assessment