French record on U.S. soil: Fonroche Lighting enters the Guinness World Records
Rowlett, Texas. Last October, Fonroche Lighting completed an unprecedented public lighting installation in the United States: nearly 70 autonomous solar streetlights deployed across 5 kilometers of roadway in just 10 hours and 35 minutes.
This achievement was officially validated by a Guinness World Records adjudicator, securing the company’s place in the 2025 Guinness World Records edition. A symbolic milestone for solar public lighting, and above all, a demonstration of what rapid, autonomous, large-scale deployment makes possible today.
Installation without trenches or grid connection
On site, Fonroche Lighting teams installed the streetlights without digging trenches, laying cables, or connecting to the electrical grid. The entire system relies on 100% solar, autonomous technology, designed to operate independently from existing energy infrastructure.
This approach drastically reduced installation time while minimizing disruption to traffic and the urban environment.
A strategic and cost-effective choice for the City of Rowlett
Initially, the City of Rowlett was considering a traditional grid-connected lighting solution estimated at 2.8 million dollars. The solar solution proposed by Fonroche Lighting proved to be approximately half the cost, allowing the project’s scope to be expanded.
As a result, three major road corridors - State Highway 66, Rowlett Road and Dalrock Road – werer illuminated, with no electricity bill and no long-term energy contract.
Lighting three roads for the price of one is a decision that speaks to every elected official and taxpayer. This achievement shows that solar has a clear role to play in modern road infrastructure, says David Hall, City Manager of Rowlett.
Execution speed and technical standards
The objective of this operation went beyond speed alone. It also aimed to demonstrate that record-time deployment can meet high standards of safety, quality, and performance.
Fonroche Lighting’s solar streetlights are designed to provide 365 nights of operation per year, even during grid outages, and to withstand challenging conditions such as floods, wildfires, or copper theft, thanks to the absence of underground cabling.
An expertise already recognized in the United States
Established in the United States since 2019, Fonroche Lighting had already drawn attention in January 2025 during an emergency operation in Los Angeles, securing neighborhoods affected by major wildfires. More than 1,000 solar streetlights were installed in less than 24 hours.
Today, Fonroche Lighting deploys its solutions in over 50 countries, with landmark projects across four continents.
References across continents
- Chile: more than 2,200 solar streetlights installed in the Atacama Desert
- Switzerland: lighting of the Evolène ski resort despite low solar exposure
- Colombia: illumination of the third-largest viaduct in South America
- Senegal: a nationwide program covering nearly one third of the country
- France: in Agen, the largest solar public lighting network in Europe, with over 6,000 streetlights installed
Agen, a showcase of an exportable model
In its home city of Agen, Fonroche Lighting supported the transformation of the public lighting network, with nearly 900 streets equipped, the removal of approximately 200 km of electrical networks, and an estimated reduction of 1,600 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.
This project is frequently cited as a benchmark for solar public lighting at the European level.
A milestone for solar public lighting
Fonroche Lighting’s entry into the Guinness World Records marks a symbolic milestone for both the company and the autonomous solar lighting sector.
Beyond the performance itself, the Rowlett operation illustrates a broader shift: the ability to rapidly deploy public lighting infrastructure, independently from the grid, and at scale.
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