In short: Solmast supplies solar street lights, poles and LED heads from Kunming, China, to Ethiopian contractors, distributors and project developers. Each offer includes a lighting calculation with the IES file, an energy balance sized for the June–September kiremt rains, test documents and samples. Where the product falls under Ethiopia’s PVoC programme, we arrange the certificate of conformity with an ECAE-authorised agency.
Ethiopian cities and regional towns buy solar street lights for new roads, condominium sites and market centres, often through public tenders and donor-funded projects. Addis Ababa’s altitude brings strong sun but a long rainy season, so sizing for August matters.
What Ethiopian tenders ask for, and what we provide
| Typical requirement | What we provide |
|---|---|
| Local bidder or importer of record | We supply the Ethiopian contractor, distributor or developer. |
| Lighting design and energy balance | Calculation with the IES file; energy balance for the August minimum. |
| Test reports for the offered model | In the producing factory’s name with our authorisation. |
| ECAE certificate of conformity where regulated | Arranged with an authorised agency (TÜV Rheinland, Bureau Veritas or Cotecna). |
| Customs duty and VAT treatment | Your broker confirms the current rate for the HS code; we provide the documents. |
| Warranty and spares | Warranty terms in writing; spare parts list with the offer. |
Sized for Addis Ababa
We simulated a solar street light night by night on ten years of NASA daily sunshine data (2015–2024). For Addis Ababa, the worst month averages 4.78 kWh/m²/day (August).
| Design | Dark nights per year in the simulation |
|---|---|
| Panel sized exactly to the worst month, 3 nights of battery | 8.4 |
| Panel 30 % larger, 2 nights of battery | 1.0 |
| Panel 30 % larger, 3 nights of battery (our usual design) | 0.1 |
Our own simulation; see how many days of autonomy a solar street light needs for the method. Every offer states the panel, battery and dimming profile so the result can be checked.
Recommended configurations
| Road | Typical class | Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Residential street, market road | P3–P4 | All-in-one solar street light, 6–8 m pole |
| Town centre, collector road | P1–P2 or M5 | Split system or high-output all-in-one, 8–9 m pole |
| Main road, dual carriageway | M3–M4 | Split system with battery high on the pole, or grid LED street lights |
| Junctions, roundabouts, yards | C classes | High masts or double-arm poles |
Import documents
Ethiopia’s PVoC programme, run by the Ethiopian Conformity Assessment Enterprise, requires a certificate of conformity for stand-alone solar products up to 350 W to ES IEC TS 62257-9-8, issued by an authorised agency. Larger street lights may fall outside that scope; we confirm with the agency for the exact model before shipping. Duty and VAT exemptions for solar products are applied inconsistently, so confirm the current treatment with your customs broker.
How to order from Ethiopia
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Send the tender or road data | Bill of quantities, specification, road widths, pole spacing and the lighting class or lux target. |
| 2. Offer and engineering | Configuration, lighting calculation with IES file, energy balance for Addis Ababa, documents list and warranty terms. |
| 3. Samples | Sample light for your bid or approval. |
| 4. Order and production | Production to the approved sample; video updates on request. |
| 5. Inspection and certificate | Third-party inspection and the import certificate of conformity before shipment. |
| 6. Shipment | FOB, CIF or DAP, with packing list and installation guide. |
Our commitments
| Commitment | Detail |
|---|---|
| Reply and quotation | We reply within one working day and normally quote within two working days once we have the project data. |
| Engineering with the offer | A lighting calculation with the IES file and an energy balance for your site, so evaluators can check the design. |
| Samples | Samples or prototypes for approval before production, with photos and video. |
| Factory visit or video audit | Visit our partner production bases near Kunming, or ask for a live video tour of the workshops and your order. |
| Third-party inspection | SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek or your own inspector before shipment. |
| Terms | FOB, CIF or DAP quotations; OEM marking under your own brand on request. |
| First order from your market | Sample terms for a first order from a new market can be discussed, case by case. Ask us when you send the project. |
We work with contractors and distributors in Ethiopia. Distributors who want to carry Solmast under their own marking can ask about OEM supply. For the tender side, read our battery autonomy simulation.