Nigeria registered an estimated solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity of 492.47 gigawatts (GW), which was the highest solar PV potential in West Africa, followed by Niger and Mali, which achieved a solar PV of 442.93 GW and 298.81 GW respectively. For the same year, Gambia had an estimated solar PV potential of 428 thousand MW, and this was the lowest in the region.
Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country
(in thousand megawatts)
The source adds the following information: "Estimates for the technical potential of nonlarge-hydropower renewable resources are shown in Table 5. Estimates of regional potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind are based on analysis carried out in IRENA (2016a). Instead of categorizing land in a binary way, as either “available” or “unavailable” for development, the analysis in that report takes an opportunity-based approach to measure resource potential, by ranking the quality of areas for development according to scores assigned to a range of relevant factors".
It also states that the solar potential shown here"may underestimate actual potential in some areas, due to conservative assumptions regarding the use of land areas. Even so, they are still vast enough that no country would be expected to reach its resource constraints by 2030".
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IRENA. (October 12, 2018). Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country (in thousand megawatts) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/
IRENA. "Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country (in thousand megawatts)." Chart. October 12, 2018. Statista. Accessed November 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/
IRENA. (2018). Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country (in thousand megawatts). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/
IRENA. "Technical Potential for Solar Photovoltaic (Pv) Capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by Country (in Thousand Megawatts)." Statista, Statista Inc., 12 Oct 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/
IRENA, Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country (in thousand megawatts) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/ (last visited November 21, 2024)
Technical potential for solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in West Africa as of 2016, by country (in thousand megawatts) [Graph], IRENA, October 12, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1178817/technical-potential-for-solar-photovoltaic-pv-capacity-in-west-africa-by-country/
