Renewable Energy Potential of Bauchi State: A Multi-Resource Assessment

Bauchi State in Nigeria's North East geopolitical zone possesses a diverse renewable energy resource base including solar radiation, wind, small hydropower, and biomass, yet comprehensive multi-resource potential assessments to guide investment and policy have not been systematically undertaken. This study conducts a multi-resource renewable energy potential assessment for Bauchi State, synthesising data from meteorological, hydrological, and land-use sources to characterise each resource type's magnitude, geographic distribution, and development constraints. Solar resource analysis uses ten-year irradiance datasets to map annual photovoltaic electricity generation potential across the state's twenty local government areas. Wind resource evaluation applies the Weibull statistical model to wind speed records from three monitoring stations. Small hydropower potential is estimated for eight identified river sites using stream flow measurements and head calculations. Biomass potential is assessed through agricultural residue surveys and forest inventory data. Findings indicate that solar energy represents the most abundant and uniformly distributed resource, with annual global horizontal irradiance exceeding 2,100 kilowatt-hours per square metre across the state. Combined biomass residue energy potential is estimated at 2.4 million gigajoules annually, sufficient to supply electricity to over 100,000 households. The study presents a prioritised resource development roadmap for Bauchi State government and recommends establishment of a renewable energy development authority to coordinate multi-sectoral deployment. Keywords: renewable energy potential, Bauchi State, multi-resource assessment, solar, biomass.