Today, many regions have replaced traditional street lights with solar street lighting. As an emerging energy-saving product, solar street lights have gained popularity with their advantages in simple installation, energy-saving, and being environmentally friendly.
And do you know how was the street lights like before the release of solar street lightning?
A solar street lightning system
The History of Solar Street Lights
1. The origin of street lights
The development of street lights is a history of the pursuit of brightness. The origin of street lights can trace back to the 15century, with the purpose of brightening the darkness on the winter nights in London. The London market ordered to hang the lighting equipment outdoor, and this is the initial form of the street lights.
2. The coming of the “Bright Age”
“Bright Age” occurred in France in a 16century when Louis XIV issued an ordinance imposing public lighting in the city. Lights were therefore hoisted on the streets of Paris but they didn’t attract much attention during that time, yet today, the lighting often attracts whole people’s attention.
3. Street light revolution
Initial street lights use candles and oil and the lights are weaker. It became brighter when the kerosene is used, but the result is still not ideal until the appearance of the gas lamp. Gaslamp lighting is not acceptable among people, but its advantage cannot be ignored and therefore has quickly become popular in European countries.
4. Oriental Pearl TV Tower
The first street light in China is a kerosene lamp and was first appeared on the streets of Shanghai. When the night comes, everyone scrambled to go and get a glimpse of it. After that, it was changed to a gas lamp and the lighting improved a lot. Until 1879, China lit up the first electrical light but it was very difficult to apply electrical light during that time. It needs 10-horsepower internal combustion generating set with a knife switch installed on each utility pole and requires manual operation.
5. The emergence of the electrical lights
When it comes to the history of electrical lighting that humans use, we must think of Lodygin the Russian and Edison the American. Lodygin invented the incandescent lights and won the Lomonosov Prize. Years later, Edison improve this type of light bulb, the brightness is stronger and the cost is lower. With the emergency numbers in this type of bulb, electrical lights have to get on the stage of road lighting and replaced the gas lamps.
6. Solar street lightning: High-pole street lights
City roads have become more complex as time develops. It will influence the city’s appearance if street lights are installed on both sides of the road. Therefore, Beijing firstly uses the high pole street lights.
7. Birth of the new light source
People began to pay attention to the global environmental problem with the advent of the 21st century and it is imperative to develop environmentally friendly and energy-saving products. Then a new light source was born, the solar LED street lights. Its long service life and energy-saving stability make it widely available in the street lights industry. The solar power let the street lights can be able to generate electricity through the natural light sources and the new light source such as LED has made it even more powerful.
A solar street lightning system
The Current Types of Solar Streets Lights
There are several different types of solar street lights, including:
- Stand-alone street lights: These lights have their own solar panels and battery, which are separate from any other infrastructure. They can be installed in any location with adequate sunlight and can operate independently.
- Integrated solar street lights: These lights have the solar panel and battery integrated into the light fixture itself. They are easy to install and require minimal maintenance.
- All-in-one solar street lights: These lights combine the solar panel, battery, and light fixture into a single unit. They are compact and easy to install, making them a popular choice for residential and commercial applications.
- Solar-powered LED street lights: These lights use LED bulbs, which are more energy-efficient and longer-lasting than traditional bulbs. They are also brighter, making them suitable for areas that require higher levels of illumination.
- Hybrid solar street lights: These lights are designed to work with both solar power and grid electricity. They can switch between the two power sources as needed, making them a reliable option in areas with limited sunlight.
- Motion sensor solar street lights: These lights use motion sensors to detect movement and turn on when someone is nearby. They are energy-efficient and help to increase safety by lighting up dark areas when people are present.
The Future of Solar Street Lighting
Solar street lighting has a promising future as it continues to gain traction and popularity around the world. Manufacturers are actively improving and refining the technology to make it more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable.
Additionally, the development of smart technology is allowing for even greater control and efficiency in solar street lighting systems. These systems can adjust the brightness of the lights based on the amount of traffic or pedestrian activity in the area, helping to conserve energy and reduce costs.
With the increasing focus on sustainability and the need for environmentally-friendly lighting solutions, solar street lighting is poised for continued growth and expansion. As technology advances and costs decrease, more communities and cities are likely to adopt solar street lights as a viable and sustainable solution for their lighting needs.
Solar Street Lighting Conclusion
From the development of the street lights, the street lights applied today are brighter, more beautiful, and environmentally friendly. This is inseparable from the wisdom and sweat of predecessors. It is believed that in the future, street lights will step onto a new stage and develops toward intelligence.
