Solar panel to power some city streetlamps

DHAKA: Bangladesh is to set solar powered lights on one selected street and install solar powered traffic lights at intersections in the capital to encourage green technology.

Bangladesh is fading for its power crisis where only 45 percent of its more than 150 million people have access to electricity. Most still depend on kerosene and wood for their daily energy needs.

Frequent load-shedding often trigger violent protests in the impoverished South Asian country, which suffers daily shortages.

“This is a pilot project, part of our green initiative, an official of the Dhaka South City Corporation.” If this is successful, we will take initiatives to have solar powered lights in other city streets.”

The installation of the LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights that will be powered by the sun has already been completed at 61 lamp posts in the designated street in Dhaka.

The lights have been tested for short periods of time and will come into full use in a week or two.

Currently, Dhaka uses around 22,000 sodium lights and 57,000 fluorescent lights for its streetlights.

The project will be implemented by Rhaimafrooz, a local renewable energy firm, and CMS Traffic System of India, with the 265 million taka ($3.2 million) cost funded by the World Bank.

Source: Reuters

BDST: 1906 HRS, JUL 05, 2012
KA/MMA/