20 December 2018 - The implementation of the “Smart City Concept” within the Capital City of Montenegro includes the realisation of a pilot project related to the introduction of modern technologies, especially the promotion of the use of solar energy.
Podgorica has recently purchased six “Smart Solar Benches” of the new generation, which, through installed photovoltaic modules, accumulate solar energy as the only power source (the benches are not connected to any source of electricity). Generated solar energy allows the collection of data about the weather parameters that will be available to citizens through an application that the Capital will develop in the upcoming period. The bench has a WiFi access point, a rain sensor that turns off the bench in the case of heavy precipitation, a built-in LED light that illuminates the area near the bench at night. Users also have the option to wirelessly charge their newer generation devices (which support wireless charging), as well as standard device charging via two USB ports.
The benches can be found in five city locations, which had to satisfy the basic conditions for the functioning of the bench - direct exposure to the sun, and the frequency of citizens' movements.
There are two Smart Solar Benches at the Independence Square, one at the Square Argentina, one at Roman Square (Rimski trg) - between the cafés Astoria and Primicia, one near the Square of Vojvoda Bećir-Beg Osmanagić (the Stara Varoš district, in front of the Natural History Museum) and one at Zabjelo district, at the March 27 Street (near the Primary school "Vuk Karadžić").
Dragutin Đeković, head of the International Cooperation Service, said that this is only the first step in the introduction of modern technologies in Podgorica and their application in the field of environmental protection. He announced that in the forthcoming period, the Capital would set up a network of sensor stations that will continuously monitor air quality parameters and that in January 2019, the first phase of replacing current public lighting with LED technology will begin.
