Power station
Ibarapa solar farm
120,000 solar panels on 70 hectares near Eruwa, with 20 MWh of batteries. By day it powers the Ibarapa towns and sends its surplus to the grid; after dark the batteries take over.
Panels
120,000
Capacity
50 MW
Batteries
20 MWh
Running since
2022
How it works
From fuel to the lines
Panels track the sun
Rows turn slowly from east to west through the day to catch more light.
Inverters
Turn the panels' direct current into the alternating current the grid uses.
Batteries
Store midday surplus and release it between 6pm and 10pm, the evening peak.
Mini-grid mode
If the main grid trips, Lanlate and Igbo-Ora keep running on the farm alone.
Gallery
On site
Example photos for this demo.
The people
Who runs it
Most of the team live within 20 kilometres of the plant. Every operator trains for two years before working a shift alone, and every shift starts with a safety briefing at the gate.
- Apprenticeships with the Ibadan technical colleges
- Three shifts, seven days a week
- Local suppliers for food, transport and cleaning
Questions
About Ibarapa solar farm
What happens on cloudy days?
Output drops, and the gas plant makes up the difference through the grid. The towns do not notice.
Who cleans the panels?
A team of 30 from the Ibarapa towns, with water from the farm's own borehole.
Can we visit?
Yes. Community and school groups can book a guided visit on the first Friday of each month through the contact page.
Next step
Power from here reaches twelve towns.
Check whether your street is one of them.