Ambitious proposals for the generation of hydro-electric power on the city’s canals – to light the city’s streets and bridges within five years – are being considered by the local authority.
The idea is part of the City Council’s aspiration to become a ‘green city within a park’.
City Chief Executive Brendan McGrath said there is potential for the generation of electricity on the Eglinton and other canals in the city.
This electricity, he said, could be used to power street lights.
“If future funding becomes available, in a city that aspires to be a green city and a sustainable metropolis, hydro-electric power could potentially be generated along the Eglinton Canal or other canals in proximity to Parkavara, for example, with the potential to generate electricity to supply electricity for all the city’s public lighting.
“While the Council has commenced the programme of gradually replacing the city’s lights with modern LED lighting, concentrating first on the older and most costly lights to operate, how wonderful would it be if within five years, the City Council could be generating its own electricity to power modern, cost-efficient, much-enhanced public lighting?
“Another benefit that could accrue from such an initiative would be the lighting of all of the city’s bridges using technology and cost-efficient lighting to demonstrate to all that Galway is a green, sustainable, bio-diverse city, described by one councillor as a ‘city within a park’,” said Mr McGrath.
He said such an initiative would require extensive funding from Government, and access to European funding streams, which would then have to be matched by the Council.
New LED street lights, or ‘white lights’ have already been installed in parts of the city, including the Western Distributor Road, where they have been praised by road users as a huge improvement in terms of visibility.
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