The Sunday Mail
Harare earned the moniker “Sunshine City” not only because of its hygiene during the day but also because of its glimmer during the night.Under the beam of gigantic street lamps that stood side-by-side in almost every street, the city shined marvellously and charmed many.
“Walking or driving through the streets of Harare at night during those days was stunning and also safe,” recalled an elderly city taxi driver, Francis Mabowo.
However, one-by-one, the lights went out and never got lit again.
The streets became dark and dangerous as the city council struggled to fund maintenance and repair the broken lights.
Also frequently switched off by Zesa for this and that reason, the few remaining lamps turned the city into a ghost of what it used to be.
As such, crime surged, particularly in lowly patrolled areas where street hoodlums terrorised pedestrians and motorists, stealing valuables and even taking lives at times.
Crass prostitution also thrived in the absence of light.
Nevertheless, having been condemned as one of the darkest capitals in the region, the “Dark Age” appears to be the thing of the past now.
This owes to Harare City Council’s massive project to install 10 000 solar street lights by the end of the year and more by the end of the next.
The project is being done by contractors under a build-operate-and-transfer basis which is already underway and is expected to reduce the council’s electricity bill.
Harare City Council spokesperson, Michael Chideme, said the move is in line with the country’s initiative to use clean energy and help in the fight against climate change.
He said it is also part of the city’s initiative to meet the world class city status by the year 2025.
“The city is not incurring any costs as the installation is being funded by the contractors,” he said.
“They get their investment back through advertising. The project is expected to go round the whole city but it depends with the speed with which the contractors come on board. For this year ,the target is 10 000 new solar lights.”
The use of solar energy has been encouraged since the effects of climate change became apparent as United Nations encouraged governments to use clean energy such as solar.
Mr Chideme said council was also conscious of clean energy.
“This means we will reduce on the Zesa bill and in the process save money. We are reducing our carbon footprint and it is also part of our beautification of Harare as we march towards a world class city by 2025.”
Work has already begun along Churchill Road, Borrowdale Road and Fourth Street. Sources say solar street lights will save the city about $200 000 each month in electricity bills. Experts have hailed the initiative, saying it will cut the city’s electricity bill while also lighting the city.
The amount of electricity used by traditional street lamps varies greatly. A commonly used lamp, research shows, is low pressure sodium (the very yellow ones). This would likely be 90w which is divided by 100 and multiplied by the number of hours the light is turned on to get its electricity consumption. The brighter yellow ones are high pressure sodium and would likely be between 150w and 400w.
Solar Energy Industries Association of Zimbabwe president, Mr Chamu Muchenje, praised the project but emphasised that council should have the right expertise for the system to work.
“By and large, it is a positive development but we can only hope that the city has the required technical expertise. For instance, there are a lot of factors to be considered in the make-up and the technical design of the lights.
“What kind of lights do you want and how much light and hours do you require from them. Do the batteries have enough lifespan and which time do they automatically switch on and off? How many days can the system go without the right weather, it could get cloudy for several days.
“So in the absence of the right technical expertise, some of these things can be overlooked, that’s when you will start seeing some of the lights failing and other technical difficulties.”
Rural and Urban Planning expert and lecturer in the Department of Rural and Urban Planning at University of Zimbabwe, Nyasha Mutsindikwa, said solar lights are the way to go even though there are a few disadvantages.
“It’s good to note that most local authorities in Zimbabwe are embracing technological innovations which have paved way for the re-birth of street lights through solar-powered ones,” he said.
“There are a lot of advantages associated with solar street lights as compared to the conventional street lights.
“They are environmentally friendly, resulting in a low carbon footprint, less operation and maintenance costs as the street lights are independent from the utility grid and lower chances of overheating. Some parts of solar street lighting systems can easily be carried to remote areas, making these more efficient and handy solutions to street lighting problems.”
He said there are a few disadvantages such as a huge initial capital outlay required to fund the project. He added that the risk of theft and vandalism is relatively higher when it comes to solar lights.
Governments in Botswana and South Africa have since 2000 invested heavily in the use of solar technology, including street lights.
Experts in Zimbabwe lament that the penetration rate of solar technology in the country is still very low.
Meanwhile, Government is running its own solar street lights project throughout the country which is expected to save over 100MW of electricity.
The project will cost about $500 000 and will be financed by Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission Distribution Company (ZETDC).
It involves nine municipalities and has been split into three phases.
The first phase of the programme costs $247 000 and involves Marondera, Chinhoyi and Beitbridge municipalities. A tender has already been awarded to BT Critical Power Company.
Phase two and three involves Hwange, Chiredzi, Bindura, Kadoma, Rusape and Gwanda and their total cost is expected to amount $300 000.
Experts say Zimbabwe is one of the best solar radiation belts in the world, averaging 2 100 kilowatts per square meter per year which is equivalent to 300 days of sunshine per year.
