Agen & Fonroche Launch Largest Solar Lighting Project in EU

Solar Street Lights Highway
Solar street lights on a highway in Calais

WOBURN, Mass., January 31, 2023 (Newswire.com) - The Commune of Agen has reached an agreement with Fonroche Lighting to install 6,000 commercial solar street lights by 2026. This is the largest deployment of solar street light systems in Europe. The town worked with UGAP (Union of Public Purchasing Groups) to finalize the €11 million deal.

A Cost-Effective Decision

Upon completing a full street lighting survey, Fonroche identified 7,000 obsolete street light fixtures. Agen will replace them with 6,000 more efficient, solar powered lighting systems.

"Agen is the first region to switch so massively to photovoltaics," explains Jean Dionis du Séjour, president of Agen. "The investment is heavy, but the profitability is fast. We hope to save between 600,000 and 750,000 euros per year," adds the elected official.

The supplier of the new solar-powered street lighting, Fonroche Lighting, is based in Roquefort in the inner suburbs of Agen. The world leader in solar street lighting, the company employs around 200 people worldwide.

For the general manager of Fonroche Lighting, Laurent Lubrano, solar is a solution for the future. Many communities spend "40% to 60%" of their electricity bill on public lighting, against a backdrop of soaring prices.

"For communities today, the choice is: Either pay a lot of money or turn off and/or dim the lights. There is a third solution: invest in solar lighting. The sun is free," says the leader.

"The price of a commercial solar lighting system is higher than a traditional streetlight. But there is no additional cost: no electric bill, no trenching, no copper wiring, and no electric grid. With avoided installation costs, the return on investment is immediate. Plus, there is no maintenance for 10 years."

Lauren goes on to say that "There is no need for a lot of sun. For example, we have equipped a highway interchange in Calais with 120 streetlights which operate dusk to dawn every day of the year."

United States Municipalities Are Not Far Behind

Municipalities in the U.S. are experiencing many of the same pressures as Europe. They include rising energy prices, aging infrastructure, and poor lighting in underserved communities. Fonroche Lighting America has installed thousands of solar LED street lights across the USA.

When the City of Albuquerque launched its street light upgrade program, they found a place for solar too. Many areas that had either no street lighting or the neighborhood lighting had fallen into disrepair. They used the savings from a citywide conversion to energy efficient LED lighting to fund over 200 solar-powered LED street lights supplied by Fonroche Lighting America.

In the Midwest, Floyd County Indiana has embraced solar lighting too. 

"These environmentally-friendly lights are an excellent investment for Floyd County," noted Floyd County Com­missioner Shawn Carruthers. "As the cost of solar lighting has decreased and battery life has increased, this alter­native for illuminating our outdoor spaces has become more economically feasible. This newer technology ­represents good stewardship on behalf of Floyd County taxpayers. It provides immediate cost savings compared with regular parking lot lighting connected to the electrical grid."

Another municipality that found solar lighting to be an effective solution is Marana, Arizona. Project manager Mac Murray commented, "After carefully evaluating light levels, public works agreed the lighting levels were sufficient to ensure safety in the round-about."

These examples show that commercial solar lighting solutions are moving out of the specialty space and becoming the first choice for outdoor lighting.

Solar Street Lights Highway
Solar street lights on a highway in Calais

Solar Street Lights Marana, AZ
Fonroche Solar Street Lights in Marana, AZ