Factors affecting the performance of solar street lights on selected streets of Lusaka district, Zambia.
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Date
2023
Authors
Kabunda, Karen
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
Well-illuminated streets play a vital role in enhancing the security and well-being of residents in cities and towns. Investing in solar street lighting can reduce costs spent on grid electricity bills. It can also enhance safety and security at the same time uplift the economy of, women and men who sell/work during late hours. Investment in this area will not only align with the call for gender responsiveness in urban planning in Africa but also help in achieving the sustainable development goal (SDG) 7 which stresses ensuring that there is access to clean and affordable energy by 2030. This study focused on the performance of solar street lights within some selected streets of Lusaka, Zambia, with particular emphasis on factors affecting their performance. The research investigated battery types, switching systems, shading, inclination, and orientation effects on the sampled solar street lights. Systematic sampling selection of street lights was done based on the Yamane Taro formula with a 90% confidence interval for the sample size. The primary data were collected through fieldwork measurement observations and questionnaires. Voltage and current readings were taken in the morning and evening for analysis. The primary data was analysed using a statistical package for social science (SPSS) and Python. The study revealed that the choice of switching system, charging system, and battery type significantly influence the performance of solar street lights in Lusaka. Lithiumion batteries and ultra-capacitors outperformed lead-acid batteries, mainly due to their efficiency and reliability. Flooded lead acid batteries had low efficiency, and lower maintenance requirements and were mainly exposed to vandalism. Physical inspections also identified issues with charge controllers, particularly affecting the lithium-ion batteries and ultra-capacitors. The results revealed that many charge controllers had failed thus allowing the batteries to overcharge in most cases to the extent that they swell and burst. The study showed that majority of the solar street lights are oriented in the northeast, with some facing northwest in roads like Lumumba, great north and Mosi-O-Tunya. Solar panels in the northwest along Lumumba road and great north road exhibited an average power output of 89 W while those oriented in the northeast had the average power of 84 W showing the solar panels in northwest generally outperformed those in the northeast. Furthermore, the orientation and inclination of
solar panels were found to impact performance. Poorly oriented and inclined panels led to incomplete battery charging and limited night-time illumination. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of selecting the right components and installing and ensuring proper maintenance for solar street lighting systems.
Description
Thesis of Master of Science in Physics.