DHAKA (Reuters)-
To encourage green technology, Bangladesh will launch solar lights on a selected Street and install solar traffic lights at the crossroads of the capital.
For Bangladesh, these measures remain unusual, and only 45% of the country's more than 0. 15 billion people have access to electricity.
Most people still rely on kerosene and wood for their daily energy needs.
Frequent power cuts have often sparked violent protests in the poor South Asian country, which faces daily electricity shortages.
"This is a pilot project that is part of our green initiative," said Jafar Ahmed, an official at Dhaka Southern city company . ".
"If successful, we will take steps to install solar lights on streets in other cities.
"Installation of LED (
LEDs)
The lights to be powered by the Sun have been completed on 61 lampposts on designated streets in Dhaka.
After a short period of testing, the lights will be fully used in a week or two.
At present, about 22,000 sodium lamps and 57,000 fluorescent lamps are used in street lamps in Dhaka.
Plans for solar energy are also underway.
Under a separate project funded by the World Bank, the power lights at 100 traffic intersections.
Solar panels will also be timed automatically
The intersection shows the countdown and tells the driver the time to change the lights next time.
Electricity demand for traffic lights is negligible, but officials say the project will raise awareness among motorists about green technology.
Professor SM Lutful Kabir, director, said: "Maybe this will not have much impact on our overall energy demand, but I will still say it is a positive initiative . " Institute of Information and Communication Technology.
"It will raise awareness of solar energy and encourage them to use it.
"The project will be implemented by local renewable energy company Rhaimafrooz and CMS transport system in India, 0. 265 billion taka ($3. 2 million)
Costs funded by the World Bank.
Population growth, increased industrialisation, increased connectivity and increased use of modern electrical appliances all contributed to Bangladesh's demand for electricity.
Nonetheless, Bangladesh aims to meet 10% of its total renewable energy demand by 2020.
One of the pioneers of this effort was the central bank, which turned to solar power in 2010.
Power lighting.
The experts affirmed the new street light plan.
"It's a good initiative from a social point of view," said professor and associate researcher Arnou nishart.
President of Dhaka University of Braque.
"When there is a load --shedding (power cut)
We saw the darkness in the street, and the assailants used the darkness in the street to attack people. With solar-
This can be avoided.