Launched in conjunction with the United Nations (UN) en.lighten program, Philips Lighting is showcasing solar LED street lighting in a pilot installation located in Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa. Cree Lighting reports that a new China street-light project consumed 1.9 million LEDs in 120,000 fixtures. Taiwan, meanwhile, is planning a massive street-light retrofit.
Philips solar showcase
The Kenyan Urban Roads Authority and Philips Lighting are partnering to install solar LED street lights in Nairobi that the duo promote as providing 100% energy savings. Philips launched the pilot in conjunction with the en.lighten partnership, the 40th anniversary of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), and the UN International Sustainable Energy for All 2012 initiative.
The Philips pilot encompasses eight lights near the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi. "A new generation of solar powered LED road and area lighting has the potential to transform life throughout Africa at a social and economic level," said Andre Dehmel, Philips Lighting general manager Africa. "We are very proud to be supplying an example of this to the road outside the UNEP headquarters, today."
Clearly the 100% energy savings claim means that the lights must run dusk to dawn off of a charge with no line power. Philips says the combination of more efficient LEDs and an intelligent controller is the key to such operation. The company says that its controller is 30% more efficient than typical controllers in transferring power from the solar panels to the batteries.
The controller also can dim the lights late at night to save energy and extend battery life. In total, the controller and system design allows Philips to use a smaller battery and solar panel.
Benefits to Kenya
The technology holds numerous advantages for areas such as Kenya. "Many unfound fears are reared by grey and dark corners on the streets," said Joseph Nkadayo, director general with the Kenyan Urban Roads Authority. "Many productive hours in Africa are wasted because of the fear of darkness or darkness itself. We need to overcome this fear by installing sustainable source of power."
The Nairobi deployment is also important to the UN and the UNEP and En.lighten programs. Achim Steiner, UN under-secretary-general and UNEP executive director, said "UNEP is proud to be partnering with the government, the private sector and civil society to demonstrate that a transition to an inclusive green economy is happening and doable in both developing to developed countries—from the public policies that are triggering a surge in renewable energy in Turkana and Naivasha to the energy efficient, solar-powered new offices of the UN at Gigiri to this piloting of LED lighting on UN Avenue. Kenya is indeed glimpsing a very different, more sustainable future for its citizens, the country and for Africa."
The Philips showcase news comes on the heels of another recent story in which the company estimated that Africa, overall, could save $10 billion annually converting to LED lighting. That announcement came on the same Cairo to Cape Town roadshow of Philips solar-powered LED street lights on which the Nairobi installation was later announced.
Cree in China
Moving to China, Cree recently announced that the Beibei district of Chongqing, China has completed the installation of more than 20,000 street lights along 19 streets and one tunnel covering an aggregate 16 miles. The project encompasses 1.9 million Cree LEDs.
China-based Chongqing Silian Optoelectronics Science and Technology Corporation designed the street lights. Officials estimate the installation will result in annual maintenance and electricity savings of more than RMB 19.5 million (approximately $3 million) and 17.6 million kWh.
Taiwan plans new street light
The Taiwan government plans to replace 40% of the country's street lights with more efficient LED lights according to FocusTaiwan. That project will encompass 326,000 lights in 5 municipalities and 17 counties and cities around Taiwan.
Taiwan plans to move quickly. The government will accept bids through the end of this year and plans to complete the project by mid-2013. Projected annual savings are 143 million kWh or close to $12 million.
