Sierra Leone’s solar aspirations

Sierra Leone is a country on Africa’s Atlantic coast, bordered by Guinea to the north and Liberia to the southeast. This region of sub-Saharan Africa famously has the lowest household electrification rate in the world. Sierra Leone has a population of nearly 8 million, yet only 13% have electricity. Even the lucky few have to put up with regular outages, causing real frustration.

When the new government came to power in April 2018, it pledged to make access to electricity a priority, with a raft of initiatives to extend the grid and provide public lighting across the country. And it’s focusing primarily on solar power as a way to improve quality of life. The potential is huge — within two years, sustainable solar solutions will outperform the current grid in terms of total power generated.

Fonroche Lighting, the global leader in off-grid solar lighting, has already been chosen to install solar-powered solutions on bridges and the riskier sections of a 100-kilometre road construction project.

Sustainable lighting for Sierra Leone’s highways

Keeping people safe with Fonroche

To improve travel links between Bo, the third-largest city, and the Liberian border, a new 100-kilometre (62-mile) highway is being built. Fonroche Lighting’s role on this project is to help ensure the highest levels of safety and security after sundown.

A vast number of solar streetlights have been installed along this and other roads, as well as on bridges. Quick to install and immediately ready to shine, with an impressively powerful spread of light, they’re a highly practical solution to the population’s needs.

Locally trained team

In-country ambassadors for Fonroche’s sustainable solutions

To help ensure the success of this renewable energy project in Sierra Leone, Fonroche Lighting put together a local installation team, who were trained in solar streetlights, how they work and how to keep them properly maintained. They then gained hands-on experience on a week-long project to install lighting on a 240-metre bridge in Gondama, in the country’s south. This skills transfer also gives further reassurances for the end-customer, who can call on local support whenever needed.

Plus, someone who’s a genuine expert in these technologies makes a great ambassador. Off-grid solar streetlights from Fonroche are the most dependable and easy-to-install smart solution for Sierra Leone and other African countries. And a locally trained team can help promote it ahead of future urban projects.