Maximizing ROI with Solar Street Lights: A Case Study from Ghana

In 2023, a mid-sized municipality in Ghana faced unreliable grid power and rising electricity costs. Street lighting was inconsistent, impacting both safety and local commerce. The city partnered with AZJ Lighting to implement a large-scale solar street lighting solution designed to reduce operational costs while improving public safety.

Challenges

The municipality confronted several challenges:

Frequent blackouts and unstable grid supply.
High annual electricity bills for street lighting.
Maintenance difficulties due to remote locations.
Limited immediate budget for infrastructure upgrades.

Solution by AZJ Lighting

AZJ Lighting designed a tailored solar street lighting solution featuring:

High-efficiency monocrystalline solar panels.
Long-life lithium battery packs with a lifespan exceeding 5 years.
Smart light sensors and remote monitoring for uptime optimization.
Durable IP65-rated fixtures suitable for extreme weather conditions.

Implementation

The project rollout included:

Site survey and energy audit completed within two weeks.
Pilot installation of 50 solar street lights to validate performance.
Full deployment over three months covering 250 streets.
Remote monitoring to track energy usage, autonomy, and maintenance needs.

Results & ROI

Key performance indicators achieved by this project:

Energy cost reduction: 62% annually.
Maintenance cost reduction: 45% over 12 months.
Payback period: approximately 20 months.
Community impact: improved night-time safety and public satisfaction.

Takeaways

Solar street lights significantly reduce operational costs while enhancing safety.
Remote monitoring minimizes downtime and maintenance challenges.
Tailored designs for local climate conditions improve lifespan and ROI.
Municipalities can achieve positive ROI within 18–24 months.