Solar powered traffic lights are set to become an increasingly common phenomenon in South Africa as the National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA) works towards completing 400 installations at critical intersections throughout the country this year.
The Sustainable Traffic Solutions Initiative was launched one year ago by NEEA, an arm of the Central Energy Fund, during the height of South Africa’s power crisis. Employing the use of two solutions – solar power and UPS (uninterruptable power supply) systems – the aim of the initiative was to reduce the number of disruptions caused on busy roads due to power cuts. It was also aimed at removing traffic lights from the Eskom power grid in favour of a more environmentally friendly and energy efficient alternative.
(Read more in The Good News South Africa)