In short: Solmast supplies solar street lights, steel poles and LED heads from Kunming, China, to Zambian contractors, distributors and mining and estate developers. Each offer includes a lighting calculation with the IES file, an energy balance sized for June in Lusaka, test documents and samples, and the documents needed for Zambia’s compulsory standards for solar products.
Zambia’s power shortages have pushed councils, mines and estates towards solar lighting, and the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency has introduced compulsory standards for solar products, including lighting devices for PV systems.
What Zambian tenders ask for, and what we provide
| Typical requirement | What we provide |
|---|---|
| Local bidder or importer of record | We supply the Zambian contractor, distributor or developer. |
| Compliance with ZCSA solar standards | Test documents for the offered model; we confirm the applicable standards for the HS code before production. |
| Certificate of conformity before shipment | Prepared with the appointed agency. |
| Lighting design and energy balance | Calculation with the IES file; energy balance for the June minimum. |
| Robust poles and fixings | Hot-dip galvanized poles, anti-climb options, tamper-proof fixings. |
| Warranty and spares | Warranty terms in writing; spare parts list with the offer. |
Sized for Lusaka
We simulated a solar street light night by night on ten years of NASA daily sunshine data (2015–2024). For Lusaka, the worst month averages 4.89 kWh/m²/day (June).
| Design | Dark nights per year in the simulation |
|---|---|
| Panel sized exactly to the worst month, 3 nights of battery | 5.6 |
| Panel 30 % larger, 2 nights of battery | 0.7 |
| Panel 30 % larger, 3 nights of battery (our usual design) | 0 |
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
The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency has introduced compulsory standards for solar products, including ZS 407 for lighting devices for PV systems and ZS 403 for PV batteries; compliance guides report that imported solar products must meet them from October 2025. Zambia also operates pre-export verification of conformity for regulated products. We confirm the current scope and agency with ZCSA for your model before shipping.
How to order from Zambia
| 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 Lusaka, 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 Zambia. Distributors who want to carry Solmast under their own marking can ask about OEM supply. For the tender side, read our guide to importing solar street lights from China.