RENEWABLE STREETLIGHTS ARE THE FUTURE FOR UK TOWNS AND CITIES
Jim Smyth, CEO at Airsynergy, discusses why the UK’s streetlights require
replacing, and why forward-thinking, hybrid, renewable powered streetlights are the way forward for both urban and remote locations.
We are finally placing more attention on our planet and how we treat it. In 2009, the Renewable Energy Directive set a target for the UK to produce 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. According to 2015’s figures, this has already been surpassed. Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar farms and hydroelectric dams accounted for 25% of the UK’s total electricity generation at the end of 2015. In Europe alone, there are currently 85 projects that have been developed that use 100% renewable energy.
RE-IMAGINE INEFFICIENT
STREETLIGHTS Whilst there have been clean energy projects in abundance in the UK, what we are failing to improve upon are our streetlights. The UK is home to just under six million streetlights, which are providing power to our towns and cities. These streetlights are of course a necessity, whether it be along streets, at football grounds, at schools or on our pavements. However, the current stock of UK streetlights is outdated and highly inefficient.
From 2013 to 2014, it has been estimated that local authorities in the UK spent £616 million on street lighting. These streetlights are also having a damaging impact on the environment, as they currently account for between 15 and 30% of a local authority’s total emissions.
For UK councils, the only viable option that they felt would solve this problem back in 2014 was to switch off or dim the streetlights between midnight and 5am, in an effort to
22 | LIGHTING
combat high bills and emission levels. Out of 150 councils across the UK, 50 chose to switch off their lights completely during the night, and 98 chosen to dim some or all of their streetlights. When asked for the councils reasoning behind the decision to switch off, over two thirds said that energy efficiency was the most important factor.
Essex County Council was one of the first to trial the switch off scheme, with 70% of the 127,000 council owned streetlights being switched off at night. The scheme consequently saved the county around £1 million – however by turning off the lights, it impacted road and pedestrian safety, and potentially heightened the level of crime.
RENEWABLE, HYBRID STREETLIGHT OFFERS COMPLETE LIGHTING
PACKAGE However, a safe and effective alternative to switching off or dimming the lights is for councils to invest in energy efficient, renewable- powered streetlights. These multi- purpose, sustainable streetlights contain both a solar panel and a small duct augmented wind turbine, which together generate enough energy to light up UK streets.
Often with standard wind turbines, the power produced can be insignificant and inconsistent where wind speeds are not strong. For example, The Global Wind Energy Council in Brussels recently revealed that whilst wind energy provided more power than nuclear by the end of 2015 for the first time
ever, the wind capacity was only available 40% of the time, compared with 90% for nuclear.
However, revolutionary, hybrid- powered streetlights are able to generate reliable, renewable power thanks to its revolutionary and unrivalled patented technology, ensuring that power can be generated in any location imaginable. These newer, smart streetlights consist of a turbine system that has the ability to accelerate the surrounding air. This increases the blade revolutions per minute (rpm), providing a larger- than-expected power output. These innovative streetlights also contain a turbine that can ‘cut in’ sooner and increase the power output when there are low wind speeds; a critical feature that ensures reliable and powerful lighting.
Not only is this system designed to provide maximum power at all times, but it is also a system that can be installed with ease, a plus for councils as they need disruption to be minimal. No trenching or ducting is required for smart streetlights as they are not connected to the grid, minimising costs. Instead the streetlights are a drop-in solution that takes under a week to be installed, and provides immediate, reliable power for urban environments and remote locations.
This innovative solution also gives councils the opportunity to manage the brightness of its streetlights. In the school holidays for example, the lights can be turned off and the energy can be effectively conserved. This of course isn’t advised in
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