Assessment of the potential and impact of solar energy utilization for sustainable land-use development in Sokoto State

Abstract

Fossil fuels are widely used for transport, electricity, and industries, but their extraction and use cause serious environmental damage and health problems due to resource depletion and increased CO₂ emissions. In response, this paper examines the potential and impact of using solar energy to support sustainable land-use development in Sokoto State, Nigeria. This study adopts a geospatial approach using Sentinel 2 satellite imagery to analyse land-type classification and land-cover patterns and to identify suitable sites for photovoltaic (PV) solar energy development. Supervised land-cover classification was conducted to delineate five land-use categories, agricultural land, bare land, vegetation, settlements, and rivers, while classification accuracy was validated using high-resolution reference imagery. The result revealed that approximately 1,603,281 hectares of bare land are suitable for large-scale solar installations, with an overall classification accuracy of 92%, indicating high data reliability. Additionally, Sokoto State records high solar irradiance levels averaging 5.5-6.0 kWh/m²/day, further strengthening its suitability for solar energy deployment. The finding demonstrates that solar energy development in Sokoto State can significantly enhance energy security, promote sustainable land use and, support environmental sustainability. The study concludes that Sokoto State possesses substantial solar energy potential and recommends the establishment of supportive policy frameworks, strengthened public-private partnerships, and active community participation to facilitate large-scale solar energy adoption.