As Jamaicans increasingly turn to solar energy to reduce the impact of electricity outages, one energy expert believes the technology could also help keep streetlights at major intersections operational when the power grid fails.

While Jamaica currently has no solar-powered traffic lights, introducing the technology at key intersections may not be out of reach, according to CEO of SunTerra Energy Solutions Limited, Emanuel DaRosa. He said solar energy could technically provide back-up power to traffic signals during outages, though he stressed that any such initiative would depend on whether it becomes a priority for the government and the National Works Agency (NWA).

“This is not an item that I had really given much thought to before,” DaRosa admitted. “But solar can be very useful in providing back-up to where the grid becomes unavailable.”