Solar power for Batroun Port

More energy-saving
projects on the way

A solar power generation station to supply the Port of Batroun was recently completed. The project cost $250,000 and was entirely funded by Spain through the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The station was built by the local Albina construction firm. The Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC) was the consultant for the project.

“The station provides a total of 7.5 kilowatts for 62 poles with LED light and 13 flood lights,” said Sarkis Farah, Engineer at the LCEC. He said the lights at the port will be dimmed by around 45 percent after midnight to save energy and reduce consumption.

The station could be connected to the public power grid at a later stage.

The LCEC will also act as a consultant for two more alternative energy projects. The first consists of installing some 30 solar power stations in different municipalities, with the help of the UNDP. Farah said Cherfane Tawil & Co. won a tender for the project, and implementation will commence in mid-November.

The other project involves replacing 1,800 sodium streetlights with solar captors and/or LEDs lights. Earth Technologies Company won a $1.45 million tender to install 1,000 streetlights. The Al-Wissam for Engineering and Contracting Company won a $1.25 million tender for the remaining 800.

The Ministry of Agriculture recently inaugurated a solar power station at its plant nursery in Deir Al-Ahmar. The station was constructed by the local company Mena Solar. Solar power will be used to control irrigation. The Ministry had already encouraged building solar stations for poultry farms in Kfarzebian and some southern villages.