WEST BANK: A main road linking cities in the north and south of the West Bank is illuminated by solar energy powered street lamps

Record ID: 561465

  • Title: WEST BANK: A main road linking cities in the north and south of the West Bank is illuminated by solar energy powered street lamps
  • Date: 18th August 2011
  • Summary: WADI AL NAR, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VEHICLES ON THE WADI AL NAR ROAD PALESTINIAN WORKERS SETTING UP SOLAR PANELS ON THE MAIN ROAD BETWEEN SOUTH AND NORTH WEST BANK SOLAR PANEL VARIOUS OF WORKERS SETTING UP SOLAR PANELS AND LIGHTS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ENGINEER, MANSOUR MANSOUR, SAYING "The road is the lifeline between the north and the south (of West Bank). The project is really important because this is the only way between the south and the north. Honestly, the road was a suffering for people -- drivers and all those using it. The project brings life to the road." WORKERS SETTING UP CABLES VARIOUS OF WORKERS FIXING AND SETTING UP LIGHTS ON ROAD TAXI DRIVER, MURAD AMIN, GETTING INTO HIS CAR LIGHT ON TAXI (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TAXI DRIVER, MURAD AMIN, SAYING: "They (the lights) help us to drive during the night. This project makes our lives easier. If the car breaks down during the night, you can stop and check the problem and fix it because now the road is lit. All roads should have lights." VARIOUS OF CARS DRIVING ON A LIT-UP WADI AL NAR ROAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ENGINEER, MANSOUR MANSOUR, SAYING: "This is a huge project in Palestine, West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and Israel if we are speaking about the kind of lights. The solar panels collect solar energy and transform it to electricity and that electricity is saved in batteries. The batteries are of 24 volts; the lights also work on 24 volts. It works by solar power and it can work for two consecutive days, and is used for ten hours every night."
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: West bank, West bank
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Topics: Environment,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA7U01SAU9HPLY606ZR55O59923
  • Story Text: The Wadi al-Nar road linking the north and south of the West Bank used to be accident-prone. Poor visibility on the winding road during the night made the road a nightmare for drivers manoeuvring across.
    But not any more -- a Palestinian organisation has installed solar panels to illuminate the road.
    "The road is the lifeline between the north and the south (of West bank). The project is really important because this is the only way between south and north. Honestly the road was a suffering for people -- drivers and all those using it. The project brings life to this road," said engineer Mansour Mansour.
    Taxi driver Murad Amin says the project is a great help.
    "They (the lights) help us while driving during the night. This project makes our lives easier; if the car breaks down during the night, you can stop and check the problem and fix it because the roads are now lit. All roads should have lights," Amin said.
    Installed by engineers from the Palestinian Association for Solar energy - PalSolar- and the Qatar Charity Association the project tackles a lack of basic services on the Wadi al-Nar road. Installed solar panels light the road for ten hours a night.
    PalSolar seeks to promote and install similar projects in other areas that lack electricity.
    "This is a huge project in Palestine, West Bank, Gaza, Jordan and Israel if we are speaking about the kind of lights. The solar panels collect solar energy and transform it to electricity and that electricity is saved in batteries. The batteries are of 24 volts; the lights also work on 24 volts. It works by solar power and it can work for two consecutive days, and is used for ten hours every night," said engineer Mansour.
    Rabah Rizat, a taxi driver who uses the road said the project was a sign of progress but wished the lights were brighter.
    "There is progress and the road is lit up, but the lights need to be stronger as they are dim," said Rizat.
    The project cost 250,000 euros.
    Palestinians in some rural areas of the West Bank and the entire enclave of Gaza have long struggled with basic services like clean water supply, constant power and fuel.
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