Solar panels collect sunlight at the corner of Theinbyu and Bo Min Yaung roads in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township. Pic: Hein Latt Aung

TRAFFIC signals at five intersections in Yangon have been connected to solar panels to help ensure that the lights are powered 24 hours a day, an official from the Yangon City Development Committee said last week.

“If we can rely on traffic lights to work all day, we can reduce traffic accident rates and traffic jams,” said an official from the committee’s Engineering Department (Roads and Bridges).

The traffic signals are connected to a battery that stores energy from both solar panels and the regular electricity current. In the event of a blackout, the stored energy is used to power the traffic light. The department tested the solar panel system at the junction of Theinbyu and Bo Min Yaung roads in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township on July 14.

After this test proved successful, solar panels were connected to traffic lights at four other intersections: the junction where Theinbyu, Daw Thein Tin, Mya Yar Gone and Banyadala roads meet in Mingalar Taung Nyunt township; the intersection of Upper Pansodan and Daw Thein Tin roads, also in Mingalar Taung Nyunt; the junction of Kyaikkasan, Tarmwe and Banyadala roads in Tarmwe township; and the junction of Bayintnaung and Hledan roads in Kamayut township.

“The solar panels used in the test were made in India and the others were made in China,” the official said, adding that the India-made panels were three feet, three inches long by one foot, four inches wide, while the China-made plates were three feet long by one foot in size.