The solar revolution hits African street lighting

From the newsletter

Solar has gained enough traction in providing cheap and reliable off-grid power to lure various users away from the grid. Street lighting, in particular, is an area that adds strain on African grids by contributing to peak demand. While many countries have partially solarised street lights, Ghana is among the few planning a large-scale implementation.

• The Ghanaian government announced this week that it has begun installing 23,500 all-in-one solar streetlights across the country, as it aims to reduce 200 MW in grid demand.

• Street lighting currently accounts for approximately 1-3% of the total electricity use in Africa, a figure that is rapidly increasing due to urbanisation.

More details

• Ghana is targeting a gradual installation of solar street lights, beginning with a 700 km stretch, as the nation aims to reduce its electricity demand on the national grid. Street lighting places a significant energy burden on municipalities, often consuming up to 40% of their total electricity. For example, in African urban areas like Kampala, Uganda, street lights alone account for roughly 8% of the city's overall electricity costs. These lights come on during peak hours, typically between 5 PM and 9 PM, coinciding with when homes and businesses also draw heavily on the grid, placing pressure on existing power infrastructure.

• Despite this considerable consumption, many African cities lack adequate street lighting. Only a small percentage of their paved roads are actually illuminated, and where it exists, its reliability is frequently undermined by weak grid infrastructure. However, African countries are experiencing rapid population growth, and urbanisation is hitting record high numbers, pushing demand for roads and lit streets for security.

• In response, several African countries have implemented strategies supporting solar adoption across various applications, including industrial and residential use cases. Kenya, for instance, is well-known for its off-grid solar initiatives, benefiting over 10 million people. Solar energy's widespread application continues, even extending to large floodlights in institutions and smaller urban areas.

• Electricity tariffs are expensive in many African countries, which places a significant financial burden on municipalities and organisations responsible for street lights. In Kenya, this has been a challenge, with the majority of counties failing to pay, claiming the costs are too high. In Uganda, Jinja Municipality defaulted on its bills, which accumulated to a $350,000 debt that resulted in the complete shutdown of its street lights.

• Consequently, several African nations and municipalities are switching to solar to cut costs and improve reliability. Togo, for instance, has embarked on an ambitious initiative to set up 50,000 solar street lamps to rural villages. Benin has installed at least 8.5 MW of solar streetlights, Ethiopia has 7 MW, and Cameroon and Zambia have 6 MW each.

• Solar street lights are also becoming increasingly flexible and incorporating smart technologies for their smooth operation. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) technology enables advanced features such as intelligent dimming, scheduled operation, and real-time brightness adjustment based on environmental conditions, leading to significant energy savings. In South African cities like Cape Town, smart lighting solutions have been introduced, leading to up to 30% energy savings.

Our take

• The adoption of solar street lights with smart technology is expected to accelerate, making solar street lights even more efficient and attractive. We'll likely see new installations increasingly incorporate these smart features, turning streetlights into part of a broader "smart city" infrastructure.

• The clear benefits of reducing grid strain and energy costs will likely encourage more countries to move beyond small pilot projects and commit to nationwide solar street lighting programmes.

• With many governments and municipalities stuck in debt, this could lead to innovative financing models and public-private partnerships tailored for solar streetlight projects. Solutions could include energy-as-a-service models or green bonds specifically for municipal solar infrastructure.