Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) has installed its first solar lighting panel in the village of Shirenewton in an area by the churchyard where it would have been impossible to bring mains supplies:
The project was a partnership scheme between Monmouthshire County Council and Shirenewton Community Council. The Community Council had requested that MCC erect a light on the footpath from St. Thomas A Becket Church to Crick Road.
A solar panel has also been installed at Whitewall Common in Magor where street lighting was desperately needed to light the railway crossing bridge for those using it in the dark winter months. The local Magor and Undy Community Council were also partners in this installation and Paul Majewski, Chairman of the Community Council said: "Railtrack did not replace the old light when it was damaged and this has been a dangerous area for some time. I am very pleased that we chose to install the solar panel lighting here, as it has certainly made a vast difference to the safety of the bridge crossing. It is projects like these where the County Council and the Community Councils can successfully work together to improve local conditions. The stand-alone lights are equipped with solar panels that store enough electrical charge in batteries during daylight hours to power the light during the hours of darkness, therefore requiring no external cabling or electrical supply."
A new solar panel light has also been installed at Llanelli Hill, after a request from the local councillor for some extra lighting to Gelly Yard. Roger Joy, head of MCC street lighting section said: "When I first visited the proposed site for the new lighting, it became obvious that if there was going to be any lighting in the area, it would have to be supplied by an alternative source to mains supply. The panels from Newport-based SolarGen Solutions have been a proven success in the county and following the well-received installations at Shirenewton and Magor; solar power was our only option."
Can assist in retaining local businesses:
Dave Harris, MCC Head of Highways said: "Searching for solar lighting has not been difficult for us as the solar street lighting system is built by SolarGen in Newport. Once we had seen their facilities and the product that they manufacture, we welcomed the chance to support a local business. This is one way we can assist in retaining local businesses especially within the southeast Wales catchment's area."
SolarGen Solutions, provides stand alone and grid-tied sustainable technology options by designing, manufacturing and installing solar powered bus stop lighting, street and footpath lighting, road and motorway signage lighting, and school traffic systems for local authorities across the UK.
Ashley Wood, sales manager at SolarGen Solutions said: "The UK could receive as much as two thirds of its total energy requirement from solar power. Our unique solar solutions can be applied to just about every public lighting requirement. These lights for example meet all regulatory standards and are also very durable, require very little maintenance and, therefore, are a very cost-effective solution.
"We are already providing a growing number of local authorities across the UK with solar powered street lighting, and to date have already installed hundreds of lights from as far north as the Western Isles and Shetland Isles to Cornwall."
SolarGen Solutions Ltd.,
Eastbank Road, Felnex Industrial Estate,
Newport NP19 4PP
Tel: 01633 281 900
Fax: 01633 271 301
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.solargen.biz