StreetLightNews

The Canadian company Hybridyne Power Systems and Japanese founded Panasonic have created a street light solution that is powered by both the sun and the wind. The solution features a solar panel on top of the street light pole, and a vertical-axis wind turbine positioned between the lamp’s two poles.

Since the solution is self-powered, it can be installed anywhere without expensive trenching and wiring. The low-cost solution also eliminates the problem with electricity blackouts, and it features an optional wireless video security webcam. Read more about the Kazekamome system here.

South Korean Jongoh Lee presents a new innovative and environmentally friendly street light solution. The solution features a solar-powered unit that charges during the day, but what is truly spectacular about the solution is that it installs directly onto a branch of a tree. The street light unit is shaped like a branch with four leaves, thus blending in with the tree that it is installed onto.

During daytime, ‘the branch‘ is barely noticed, but at night, ‘the branch’ comes to life with the help of a luminance sensor. This solution seems easy to install, and the environmental benefits are obvious.

However, a few questions remain unanswered. How well do the units charge the solar panels through tree crowns? Since the units are not bolted down, how does one prevent citizens from stealing the units?

Japanese company Sharp is now launching a solar-powered streetlight. Combining Sharp’s own solar modules and long-life, white LEDs, the Japanese company presents the environmentally friendly streetlight solution of the 21st century. The unit delivers brightness at the highest level; still the unit does not produce any light pollution, uses no mercury, and emits no ultraviolet light.

Storage batteries charge from sunlight during the day and shines automatically at night. The level of maintenance is minimal as Sharp’s solution only requires replacement once every 10 years.

One of the extra benefits that especially cities in earthquake zones will enjoy is the built-in seismic motion sensor. This feature enables the unit to detect any earthquake measuring five or higher on the Japanese Seismic Intensity Scale. When detected, the unit will turn on full brightness at nighttime hours for at least two days.

Initially, the solution will be available on the Japanese market. In Europe, the European Union applaudes companies who commit to the reudction of light pollution. Thus, the EU GreenLight Programme has been developed to involve public and private organisations in upgrading their lighting systems to reduce light pollution. Well-known B2C companies such as McDonald’s and Nike have been awarded partner status, while international operating B2B companies such as Amplex A/S and Reverberi Enetec are awarded the endorser status.

In the Iraqi town of Fallujah, mostly known for insurgent activity, things have started to quiet down, allowing for an increased focus on rebuilding the infrastructure.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing efforts to equip the town’s east-west thoroughfare with solar powered street light. With 1,050 lighting points, this will be the biggest solar powered installation worldwide to date, according to the manufacturer, SEPCO.

The system is being installed at the rate of 20 poles per day, and besides Fallujah, 4 other Iraqi towns and 17 villages in Afghanistan have been equipped with solar electric lighting systems.

Read the full article here…

The Canadian company, Pure-Tek Earth, has designed a solar powered LED street light where the switch, converter, controller, the wiring and the solar battery fit into a metal box that is mounted on the individual street light pole.
Pure-Tek Earth describes on their website how the solution can save thousands of dollars in electrical costs and save the world from one ton of CO2 emission per light, per year.
There is no mentioning of centralized control of the street lights, so it is unclear whether this is an option. Also, the ROI is not described, perhaps because it is unreasonably long? Equipping every single street light with both solar batteries, controllers, switches, etc. must be rather costly.