Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal)

Received: 5 December 2025     Accepted: 18 December 2025     Published: 16 January 2026
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

In the context of the energy transition and Senegal’s objective to increase the share of renewable energy to 20%, this study investigates the reliability of an off-grid photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in the village of Badiari, Sédhiou region, in the south of the country. Over a three-month period (June to August), corresponding to the rainy season, the 5 kWp production system was continuously monitored using an intelligent SMA inverter, enabling minute-by-minute data collection. The analysis reveals a clear mismatch between the system’s generation capacity and the users’ energy demand. The lead-acid batteries (1,000 Ah) undergo recurrent deep discharges, occasionally reaching critical levels (21 % state of charge), significantly shortening their operational lifespan. Simultaneously, the backup generator, intended to mitigate these deep discharges, is seldom activated. Frequent overvoltage events, shutdowns due to extreme temperatures (up to 80 °C at the heat sink), and islanding phenomena highlight both system imbalance and structural vulnerability. Reliability metrics were quantified, with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 10,907 minutes and a Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) of 43 minutes in June, compared to 8,671 minutes and 329 minutes, respectively, in August. These values underscore the irregularity of energy supply. The findings emphasize the need to reconsider the sizing and maintenance strategies of rural solar installations. Recommended measures include increasing battery bank capacity (up to 2,500 Ah), introducing power limiters for consumers, and improving the thermal management of the technical room (ventilation, insulation). Implementing these strategies is expected to enhance local energy autonomy and improve the long-term sustainability of solar infrastructures.

Published in International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy (Volume 15, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11
Page(s) 1-13
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Solar Energy, Off-grid Photovoltaic, Maintenance, Reliability, Batteries, Energy Transition, Energy Autonomy

References
[1] ANER. (2022) Annual report on energy access and solar projects in Senegal. National Agency for Renewable Energy.
[2] Heinrich Böll Stiftung Senegal. (2025) Accelerating the energy transition in Senegal: regulatory framework and governance. Heinrich Böll Stiftung Senegal, Dakar.
[3] GIZ. (2023) Decentralized rural electrification in Senegal. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). Available at:
[4] Proparco. (2016) Bokhol, the first large-scale solar power plant in French-speaking West Africa. Available at:
[5] Lekela Power. (2020) Taïba Ndiaye wind farm project. Available at:
[6] Team France Export. (2023) Market Sheet – Energy transition in Senegal. Available at:
[7] UNDP. (2021) Mini-grids for rural electrification in West Africa: Case of Senegal. United Nations Development Programme.
[8] SMA Solar Technology AG. (2020) Sunny Island 6.0H / 8.0H - Technical Information. Available at:
[9] SMA Solar Technology AG. (2015) Operating Manual - SUNNY ISLAND 6.0H / 8.0H. Available at:
[10] REN21. (2024) Renewables Global Status Report 2024. REN21 Secretariat. Available at:
[11] IRENA. (2016) Innovation Outlook: Renewable Mini-Grids. International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Available at:
[12] SEforALL & ESMAP. (2020) State of the Global Mini-Grids Market Report 2020. Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). Available at:
[13] Abdulla, H. (2024) Photovoltaic systems operation and maintenance: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. (review article summarizing O&M best practice).
[14] Marangis, D. (2025) Intelligent maintenance approaches for improving PV plant uptime. Solar R&D (review).
[15] Hamza, A. (2025) A multi-stage review framework for AI-driven predictive maintenance of PV systems. Applied Energy (review).
[16] Mohsin, M. (2022) A new lead-acid battery state-of-health evaluation method using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for second life in rural electrification systems. Journal of Energy Storage.
[17] Sadabadi, K. K. (2021) Model-based state of health estimation of a lead-acid battery using equivalent circuit models. Journal of Energy Storage.
[18] Huang, C. (2023) Fast health state estimation of lead–acid batteries based on charging curve analysis. Electronics.
[19] Alobaid, M. (2023) A comprehensive review and assessment of islanding detection methods for PV systems. Renewable Energy Communications.
[20] Zini, G. (2011) Reliability of large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic systems. Renewable Energy.
[21] Pimpalkar, R. (2025) Reliability analysis and life cycle costing of rooftop solar PV: methods and case studies. Sustainable Energy Tech & Economics Today.
[22] Babayomi, O. O. (2023) Review of renewable off-grid mini-grids in Sub-Saharan Africa. Frontiers in Energy Research.
[23] Guillou, E. (2023) Mini-grids at the interface: deployment and territorial approaches — fieldwork in Senegal, Tanzania and India. Energy Policy Journal.
[24] Etienne, E. (2024) Can isolated microgrids be viable? A longitudinal study of a Senegalese village microgrid. Energy for Sustainable Development.
[25] Petrusevich, M. (2024) Assessing the impacts of solar mini-grids on energy access and socioeconomic outcomes. Development Economics Review.
[26] Obatola, S. O. (2024) Reliability overview of grid-connected solar PV systems. Applied Automation & Energy Systems Journal.
[27] Roy, A. (2022) The effect of fast charging and equalization on the reliability and cycle life of lead-acid batteries. Journal of Energy Storage.
[28] Belmokhtar, K. (2016) Charge equalization systems for serial valve regulated batteries. International Conference Proceedings on Energy Storage Systems.
[29] Battery University. (2011) BU-404: What is Equalizing Charge? (practical technical note on VRLA/flooded lead-acid equalisation). Available at:
[30] Catherino, H. A. (2004) Sulfation in lead–acid batteries. Journal of Power Sources.
[31] Juanico, D. E. O. (2024) Revitalizing lead-acid battery technology: desulfation and charging techniques. Frontiers in Batteries and Electrochemistry.
[32] IEEE PVTC / IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy (selected articles) — e.g., studies on inverter reliability and failure modes.
[33] International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). (2014) IEC 62116: Test procedure of islanding prevention measures for inverter-based distributed generation systems.
[34] World Bank. (2021) Mini-grids: A Case for Smart Policy and Financing. World Bank Report on Off-grid Electrification.
[35] IEA. (2022) Electricity Access and Mini-Grids: Policies for sustainability. International Energy Agency report.
[36] REN21 / IEA collaborative papers on mini-grid regulation and grid integration (policy briefs).
[37] Research article: “Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) Calculation of Solar PV Systems” (technical note / conference paper) — methodology for MTBF/MTTR calculation in PV plants.
[38] ResearchGate/Academic review: “Machine Learning for Predictive Maintenance in Solar Farms” (2025) — ML algorithms for fault prediction.
[39] Minigrids.org. (2024) State of the Market Report 2024 — State of the Global Mini-Grids Market. Available at:
[40] EEPowerSolutions / technical white paper. (Year) The proper charging of stationary lead-acid batteries: float, equalize and temperature compensation (industry white paper).
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Sarr, O. N., Fall, M. F. M., Seck, E. H. B., Thiam, M. (2026). Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal). International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy, 15(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Sarr, O. N.; Fall, M. F. M.; Seck, E. H. B.; Thiam, M. Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal). Int. J. Sustain. Green Energy 2026, 15(1), 1-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Sarr ON, Fall MFM, Seck EHB, Thiam M. Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal). Int J Sustain Green Energy. 2026;15(1):1-13. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11,
      author = {Omar Ngala Sarr and Mame Faty Mbaye Fall and El Hadji Boubacar Seck and Mouhamadou Thiam},
      title = {Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal)},
      journal = {International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy},
      volume = {15},
      number = {1},
      pages = {1-13},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsge.20261501.11},
      abstract = {In the context of the energy transition and Senegal’s objective to increase the share of renewable energy to 20%, this study investigates the reliability of an off-grid photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in the village of Badiari, Sédhiou region, in the south of the country. Over a three-month period (June to August), corresponding to the rainy season, the 5 kWp production system was continuously monitored using an intelligent SMA inverter, enabling minute-by-minute data collection. The analysis reveals a clear mismatch between the system’s generation capacity and the users’ energy demand. The lead-acid batteries (1,000 Ah) undergo recurrent deep discharges, occasionally reaching critical levels (21 % state of charge), significantly shortening their operational lifespan. Simultaneously, the backup generator, intended to mitigate these deep discharges, is seldom activated. Frequent overvoltage events, shutdowns due to extreme temperatures (up to 80 °C at the heat sink), and islanding phenomena highlight both system imbalance and structural vulnerability. Reliability metrics were quantified, with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 10,907 minutes and a Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) of 43 minutes in June, compared to 8,671 minutes and 329 minutes, respectively, in August. These values underscore the irregularity of energy supply. The findings emphasize the need to reconsider the sizing and maintenance strategies of rural solar installations. Recommended measures include increasing battery bank capacity (up to 2,500 Ah), introducing power limiters for consumers, and improving the thermal management of the technical room (ventilation, insulation). Implementing these strategies is expected to enhance local energy autonomy and improve the long-term sustainability of solar infrastructures.},
     year = {2026}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Reliability Analysis and Performance Assessment of the Badiari Hybrid Photovoltaic Power System (Sedhiou, Senegal)
    AU  - Omar Ngala Sarr
    AU  - Mame Faty Mbaye Fall
    AU  - El Hadji Boubacar Seck
    AU  - Mouhamadou Thiam
    Y1  - 2026/01/16
    PY  - 2026
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11
    T2  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
    JF  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
    JO  - International Journal of Sustainable and Green Energy
    SP  - 1
    EP  - 13
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1549
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsge.20261501.11
    AB  - In the context of the energy transition and Senegal’s objective to increase the share of renewable energy to 20%, this study investigates the reliability of an off-grid photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in the village of Badiari, Sédhiou region, in the south of the country. Over a three-month period (June to August), corresponding to the rainy season, the 5 kWp production system was continuously monitored using an intelligent SMA inverter, enabling minute-by-minute data collection. The analysis reveals a clear mismatch between the system’s generation capacity and the users’ energy demand. The lead-acid batteries (1,000 Ah) undergo recurrent deep discharges, occasionally reaching critical levels (21 % state of charge), significantly shortening their operational lifespan. Simultaneously, the backup generator, intended to mitigate these deep discharges, is seldom activated. Frequent overvoltage events, shutdowns due to extreme temperatures (up to 80 °C at the heat sink), and islanding phenomena highlight both system imbalance and structural vulnerability. Reliability metrics were quantified, with a Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) of 10,907 minutes and a Mean Time To Repair (MTTR) of 43 minutes in June, compared to 8,671 minutes and 329 minutes, respectively, in August. These values underscore the irregularity of energy supply. The findings emphasize the need to reconsider the sizing and maintenance strategies of rural solar installations. Recommended measures include increasing battery bank capacity (up to 2,500 Ah), introducing power limiters for consumers, and improving the thermal management of the technical room (ventilation, insulation). Implementing these strategies is expected to enhance local energy autonomy and improve the long-term sustainability of solar infrastructures.
    VL  - 15
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Sections