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Where's the World's Largest Single Installation of Solar Street Lights?
by Stacy Feldman - Nov 29th, 2007
Fallujah, Iraq. Over 1,000 solar-powered street lights are being installed. It was first reported in October with some skepticism, but Michael Toppleton gives a first-hand account, and it's happening:
Brand new solar-powered street lights line the main roads. Now that insurgents no longer sabotage the electrical grid, Fallujah gets around twelve hours of electricity a day on average. (It used to be a lot less.) Getting street lights permanently off the electrical grid not only frees up power for televisions and air conditioners, it prevents the city from going dark even when the power is out. The Marines plan to have every street lit up with solar power in two years. Sunlight in this country is a terrible punisher for almost half the year, but it makes solar power almost a no-brainer, especially since the electrical system is already broken.
Solar Electric Power Company is doing the install. Its CEO, Steve Robbins, had this to say:
"Obviously it would help a neighborhood feel safer if it's lit and they can see who's running out there on the streets."
Obviously. Better yet, the lights have brought soccer back on the Fallujah streets, Reuters reported yesterday:
At night, men relax outdoors on plastic chairs, smoking and talking. Driving is still banned, but people ride bicycles and children play street soccer under the glow of recently installed solar-powered street lights.
A small silver lining. At least Ted Turner should be pleased.
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