The central city of Da Nang will install a solar power system to provide free charging for mobile phones, wifi and advertising at public bus stops in a pilot project next month.

A bus stop in Da Nang

The project is part of the city’s efforts to develop renewable energy and promote ‘green growth’.

Solar panels with total capacity of 795Wp (watt photovoltaic) will supply ‘clean’ power for commuters 24 hours.

According to the city, solar power systems will be developed at bus stops and public parks in the coming years.

The city is building sun powered public lighting systems at two parks in Ngu Hanh Son district and a 4.4MWp (megawatts photovoltaic) solar farm in Lien Chieu district.

In 2014, the city’s Science and Technology Department began a pilot project to install solar power systems for deep-sea fishing vessels.

The European Commission (EC) also funded 415,000 USD for the city to install solar equipment at health centres and schools, and it will fund research on solar technology capacity and management in 2017-20

The first solar power system of Da Nang was built in the FPT Complex project in 2014 with a capacity of 12kWh each day and a solar powered water heater system.

In July, Bridgestone Vietnam donated 50 smart trash bins with a public-use solar-powered mobile phone charger.-VNA