Photo By Maj. Frank Garcia | Solar lights light up a road in the northwest Baghdad neighborhood of Ghazaliyah, Aug....... read more read more
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By Dan Martin Jr.
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division
BAGHDAD – A Men's Health Magazine study has linked depression, loss of sociability and lethargy to darkness. These studies are based on the psychological effects of the lack of light. The lack of light, either sunlight or artificial, also has definite strategic effects.
Groups who oppose the current operations in Iraq use the darkness to maneuver, plot, plan and execute attacks, place improvised explosive devices, and cause chaos.
In Iraq, constant and reliable power is a rarity even with the numerous power generation projects in place. When the streetlights are out due to power outages and broken or stolen bulbs, not only can these groups perform their destructive tasks, but citizens are unable to roam, attend gatherings or shop at the endless open-air markets.
In neighborhoods across northwest Baghdad, specifically Ghazaliyah, a new solar-powered lighting system is being placed along streets, in neighborhoods and in popular areas to bring a bit of normalcy back to these areas, allowing people to continue life after the sun goes down.
"The logic behind it [the solar-lights project] was getting lights out on the streets at night," said Maj. Tom Nelson, engineering officer for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Multi-National Division – Baghdad.
More than 16,000 of the solar lights are planned to be installed throughout Iraq. In northwest Baghdad, they plan to place them along main routes in Kadhamiyah and, according to Nelson, there is an upcoming project involving solar energy to power a medical clinic in Ameriyah.
In the areas where the lights have been installed, such as Ghazaliyah, a northwestern Baghdad neighborhood, the immediate benefits are apparent, said Nelson. During the holy month of Ramadan, most of the residents stay indoors and save energy during their daytime fasting. When the sun goes down, the newly placed lights provide a much safer environment for people to go about their business.
"If it weren't for these lights," said Nelson, "obviously, it would be pitch black, and it would be an opportunity for crime and insurgent activity."
To prevent theft or destruction of the lights, special screws hold the lights in place and bullet-proof glass is used as a cover. The lighting projects are proving a useful and a small umbrella of protection from insurgent groups for the residents of the area as well as shop owners and merchants.
"Street lights are an essential element of providing security for the population. They provide ISF checkpoints without night-vision capability the ability to observe the dead space created by the darkness," said Capt. Thomas Melton, commander, Company A, 1st Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd BCT, 101st Abn. Div. "They also reduce the enemy's ability to emplace IEDs and conduct attacks because they take away his concealment."
Melton, whose company patrols through Ghazaliyah daily, said he believes the area can be a dangerous neighborhood at night, and the street lights currently in his area provides confidence for the residents and allow markets to stay open later into the evening.
"Among the many requests for help I receive from the populace, street lights are one of the more popular," Melton continued. "Street lights provide a force protection benefit for ISF and CF by degrading the enemy's capabilities"
Worldwide, natural and renewable energy sources are being utilized to bring light and powering homes at nearly no cost with many benefits.
The use of solar energy has many positive aspects. The constant, renewable energy of the sun is abundant in the region and provides nearly free energy. Batteries are used as storage to power the lights over a period of limited or no sunlight at all. They require little to no maintenance because there are no moving parts and the improvements in materials used. No pollution is produced from the lights or from the energy used, unlike electricity produced from fossil fuels.
Notably, the only true negative aspect is the initial cost. Aside from the manpower and costs of the installation, the system – consisting of the solar panel, inverter, battery, charge controller, wiring and the pole – costs approximately $4,000 per unit.
Ultimately, most solar-energy applications pay for themselves over time. The cost itself is also offset by the ever-increasing cost of energy produced by fossil fuels.
Since the project finished in Ghazaliyah, shops are now able to stay open after nightfall and people are able to roam the streets. According to many residents and shop owners, it is nearly a return to normalcy.
In the foreseeable future, projects like these are going to be more prevalent, intricate and complex, said Nelson.
From the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom to the present, having reliable electricity has been an obstacle for both the military and civilians alike. Restoring power and maintaining reliable power sources – both situations that are a plague the entire region, has been a main objective of Multi-national Division – Baghdad. The use of solar energy for something as simple as street lamps could very well light the way to a peaceful and prosperous future.
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 09.15.2008 09:55 |
| Story ID: | 23670 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 95 |
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