To tackle the various challenges regarding street lighting, the municipal representatives have engaged in peer advisory to support their colleague in proposing a data-driven and gender-sensitive plan to promote energy-efficient street lighting in Madaba, Juneid-Jordan and Qaraoun- Lebanon.
The municipal representative of Madaba- Jordan has cited several challenges that impede implementing energy efficiency in the overground street lighting projects in his city. These include:
- Lack of adequate operational knowledge of street lighting sensors to reduce energy consumption
- Lack of cooperation agreements with the electric power utility company on the exchange of GIS data particularly regarding the locations of electricity transformers that are located beyond the municipal boundaries. Moreover, the absence of an agreement on an interest and financial clearing system between the municipality and electric power utility company is leading to wrongfully charging the costs for street lighting and its maintenance on the municipal budgets. In addition, the municipality lacks the technical knowledge to monitor the data of the electricity company.
- Lack of methodology and technical specifications by the technical department of the municipality for the selection of energy-efficient street lighting that takes into consideration the type and illumination of the lighting fixtures. Moreover, the municipal staff lacks the needed capacity to conduct monitoring and evaluation of energy consumption in municipal street lighting.
- Lack of clarity on legislations related to banning the purchase of sodium light bulbs and the piece of land upon which the lighting pole is installed.
To address these challenges, the representative of Madaba municipality has developed a proposal to install 6000 LED Street Lighting units based on accurate data and a clear division of roles among all stakeholders including the Ministry of Public Works and the electric power company. To concretize this proposal, the following objectives are identified:
- Establishing a municipal database for street lighting data with accurate information derived from the Ministry of Public Works and the electric power utility company. To ensure that the information is kept up-to-date and comprehensive, a memorandum of understanding will be signed by the engaged stakeholders.
- Conducting community awareness raising campaigns on energy efficient street lighting in partnership with the civil society organisations. Feedback derived from the community concerning shortcomings and priorities for installing LED street lighting will be integrated in the illumination plan. To ensure gender sensitivity, priority will be given to areas that are considered high risk due to lack of illumination.
- Conducting a study to clarify the technical specifications for LED bulbs to be purchased by the municipality based on accurate monitoring of energy consumption of street lighting.
- Capacity development of municipal staff on the management of GIS database for street lighting.
The proposed project envisions the following outcomes:
- Increasing the deployment of accurate data derived from the GIS database
- Capacity development of municipal staff to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of energy reduction measures in street lighting.
- Reallocating municipal funds resulting for the savings in energy costs to be utilized in other municipal projects that are of priority.
- Developing creative gender-sensitive solutions and proposals for street lighting that guarantees the ownership and buy-in of the local community. This includes identifying footpaths and pavements that require illumination to eliminate risks that children and women may encounter due to insufficient illumination.
- Site Survey: Complete the site survey of all the street lighting in the municipality boundaries. This will include identifying the location of the street lighting, type of lighting fixture, number of hours in use, lighting pole height, and distance between lighting poles.
- Optimize the Number of Hours: Develop a lighting plan for the different zones at the municipality. Where the rural areas will have street lighting for a limited number of hours according to available traffic, and keep the urban areas street lighting in use throughout the night.
- Optimize the Number of Lighting Poles in Operation: Based on the type of zone and the type of traffic, the intensity of the lighting can be reduced by reducing the number of street lights in operation.
- Street Lighting Energy Management System: Based on engineering studies, procurement, capacity building and knowledge developed in the field, the municipality will develop an energy management system in order to optimize performance and reduce cost of energy.
Concerning the resources needed to conduct the proposed activities, the municipal representative has indicated that the installation of 6000 LED street lighting units will span the period of 4 months and will require a budget of 580,000 Euro with a municipal cost-sharing of 20%. This includes costs related to personnel and technicians as well as labors and machinery.
A similar project idea has been developed by the representative of Juneid municipality, who cited the following challenges: 1) the expansion of areas needing public lighting due to urban sprawl, 2) lack of technically-capacitated municipal staff who can plan and monitor street lighting projects, 3) extreme weather conditions during winter that increases costs of maintenance. The municipality is proposing the installment 3000 LED Street lighting units with a cost of 245000 Euros will span the period of 2 months. The municipal cost-sharing of 20000 Euros including costs related to personnel and technicians as well as labors and machinery.
Qaraoun municipality in Lebanon has also proposed a street lighting project. Besides sharing many of the challenges cited by Madaba and Juneid, the mayor of Qaraoun has noted additional impediments: 1) lack of support to the municipal budget by the central government, 2) the collapse of the Lebanese Lira and lack of liquidity in the country, 3) high cost of electricity consumption and maintenance of street lighting depletes the meager municipal budgets. Through this project is aiming to reduce the electricity bill by 12% and saving maintenance costs. As for the resources needed, the mayor has indicated that the installation of 500 LED street lighting units will span the period of 3 months and will be funded by Chemonics. Technical training for municipal staff on monitoring and maintenance of street lighting as well as on GIS is also needed.
