The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has announced a major transition to solar-powered street lighting as part of efforts to ease pressure on the national grid and improve energy efficiency.
Speaking during the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, July 16, Mr. Jinapor revealed that the government has begun installing 23,500 all-in-one solar streetlights across the country, covering a total stretch of 700 kilometers.
“As part of our streetlighting project, I’m happy to announce that we’ve commenced the installation of all-in-one solar streetlights. We intend to do 23,500 Units covering a distance of 700km, so that gradually we can take solar as the main focus and move our streetlights away from the grid,” the Minister stated.
He explained that streetlights, which typically depend on the national grid, significantly contribute to peak energy demand, exacerbating pressure on power generation during critical hours.
“The streetlights depend largely on the grid and unfortunately these streetlights come on during the peak period. The difference between the peak period and the off-peak period can range around 400-600 megawatts. And these streetlights alone accounts for more than 200 megawatts,” he noted.
Mr. Jinapor said the shift to solar would “shave off about 200-300 megawatts” from the grid, a move he described as a significant contribution to energy sector efficiency.
The solar streetlight initiative forms part of the Mahama administration’s broader strategy to adopt renewable energy solutions and reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and grid-based consumption, especially during high-demand periods.
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