Cape Town is conducting a bold new experiment in renewable energy. Working with the National Energy Efficiency Agency, the South African city has a pilot project using solar-powered traffic lights. If the initial set of eight lights works out, more of the country’s intersections may see the introduction of this technology. Similar lights are already used in Europe; they were introduced in the UK in 2003.
Eskom, the national energy company that is responsible for generating 95% of electricity used in South Africa, estimates that Cape Town’s traffic lights use energy equivalent to 1200 homes. The new solar traffic lights are not only more energy efficient, but they may offer more reliable power. Cape Town has had numerous service interruptions over the past several years, leading to traffic chaos. In February, 2006, power failures resulted in major financial losses due to the local economy’s dependence on transportation.
A single solar panel captures sunlight and transfers the energy to batteries, which can store up to eight hours of operating power. This enables the lights to continue over night and during cloudy days (up to three days if necessary). The traffic lights use LEDs (light emitting diodes) to further save energy. Cape Town has recently committed to installing LEDs in all its traffic lights by 2015.
The equipment is pricier than conventional traffic lights; MagCode SA, the company executing the project, estimates that costs will decrease with more lights. Long-term energy savings are difficult to enumerate; this is one focus of the experiment. The system is hoped to require less maintenance in general, along with requiring little electricity. Vandalism is minimized by setting the panels atop a six-metre pole; underground, storage batteries are encased in concrete.
Other countries have discovered the potential in solar traffic lights; manufacturers operate in China, India, Dubai, Nigeria, Taiwan, Oman, Pakistan, Greece and the U.S. With South Africa’s sunny climate, solar power’s potential is promising. If traffic lights prove successful, there are many other useful ways to harness the abundance of sunlight.
See past post for more on solar lighting: http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/alternative-energy/solar/outdoor-solar-lighting/