The City of Kigali began trials to use solar energy to power its public lights. The New Times has learnt.
Merard Mpabwanamaguru, the Vice Mayor of the City of Kigali in charge of Urbanisation and Infrastructure, said that the city is in the 2nd phase of trials to make Public lighting go solar.
“Solar system with public lighting could be a sustainable solution if the trials are successful. We are currently in the second phase. The solar public lighting was tried in the main, corridor and other roads,” he said.
Mpabwanamaguru stated that they have investors from Belarus that would like to partner them on this project. Another company from Poland could also help them with public solar trials. “If the trials are successful, it could set up an assembling factory in Rwanda,” he said.
In the meantime, 70 Kilometres worth of roads will be constructed and equipped by public lighting.
You can get up to 58 road projects are set to be implemented in the neighbourhoods of Kigali City before 2024, according to the city council.
Main targeted roads include Mulindi-Gasogi-Rusororo-Kabuga road of 9.8 Km, Miduha-Mageragere prison road with 8.6km, Nyabugogo-Poids Lourd-Kanogo road of 4.9 Km and Zindiro-Masizi-Birembo-Kami-Gasanze road (10.4Km) among others.
Currently, there are five street lights on the road around Kigali Parents’ School that are being powered by solar energy.
According to the city council the capital will be 215.6 km long and will have six phases of roads built or upgraded by the time it reaches 2024.
Phase one will see the addition of 33.7km to the current road network.
Construction activities will include asphalt and cobblestone road building, rehabilitation of roads through the capital, upgrading from 2 to 4 lanes, and repairing and restoring them, among others.
The first phase of construction has 10 road projects and the second has 13. The third phase has 14 road projects, while the second has 13.
2009 households will be relocated due to the nature of the construction process.
Why solar public lighting?
Frank Habineza, MP, commented on the 2022/23 budget. He asked the City of Kigali for information about green investment in the capital to reduce climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Public lighting should be powered by solar energy as it has been possible in other countries. Most of the roads being constructed have no cycle lanes yet it is part of no-motorised transport to reduce carbon emissions,” he said.
Different studies have shown that solar public lighting is more economical than grid-connected lighting.
They also show that solar public lighting is easy to install and doesn’t require any civil engineering work, because it’s completely off-grid.
It’s ideal for remote, hard-to-reach locations, as well as flood-prone areas.
Rwanda aims to reduce carbon emissions by 38% in 2030 and reach net zero in 2050.
According to experts, solar public lighting could contribute to achieving the country’s target.
From electricity consumption to maintenance, public lighting expenditure accounts for substantial budgets and makes up a sizeable share of public spending in energy, up to 60% according to several studies conducted by the World Bank and the EU.
Solar street lights, whose batteries get their power from photovoltaic panels, provide a major competitive advantage as they operate completely independently from the grid, thus eliminating all electricity bills.
editor@newtimesrwanda.com
Source: rnewtimes
