Streetlights are an essential component of Urban Lighting infrastructure, providing crucial illumination at night. However, traditional streetlights consume a significant amount of energy, leading to substantial wastage, especially in less frequented areas during late-night hours. This article explores the benefits of smart energy-saving streetlights and their impact on urban sustainability.

Energy Consumption of Traditional Streetlights

Conventional streetlights, typically using high-pressure sodium or mercury vapor lamps, consume between 100W to over 1000W per unit. Assuming a single streetlight operates at 200W for 12 hours per night, it consumes approximately 2.4 kWh per day. A 2-kilometer road with 200 such lights would use 480 kWh per night, accumulating to 175,200 kWh annually. Considering multiple streets within a city, the total energy wastage is enormous.

Current Energy-Saving Methods

LED lighting is a well-known energy-efficient alternative, consuming only 25-40% of the energy required by traditional lamps while offering longer lifespans. Many cities have begun implementing LED streetlights; however, these still suffer from overall low efficiency since they remain fully operational even when unnecessary.

Principle of Smart Energy-Saving Streetlights

To address this issue, a new generation of intelligent streetlights has been developed, integrating two core components: energy-saving controls and smart automation.

Energy-Saving with LED Technology

LEDs operate more efficiently and can adapt to voltage fluctuations, ensuring consistent brightness without excessive energy use. Unlike traditional sodium and mercury lamps, LEDs do not require long startup times, making them suitable for frequent on-off switching.

Intelligent Sensing and Control

Smart streetlights utilize either Power Line Communication (PLC) or ZigBee wireless control to enable adaptive lighting based on real-time activity.

PLC Communication Control

PLC transmits data over power lines, allowing efficient communication between streetlights and control centers without requiring additional cabling.

ZigBee Wireless Control

ZigBee technology enables wireless connectivity among streetlights, offering reliable, low-power, and interference-resistant communication over distances up to 100 meters.

Smart Control Features

Adaptive Brightness

When pedestrians or vehicles are detected, streetlights automatically increase brightness. Conversely, they dim or turn off when no movement is detected, significantly reducing power consumption.

Fast Inspection & Maintenance

Smart lighting networks allow remote monitoring of streetlight status, reducing the need for manual inspections. Predictive maintenance can be implemented using real-time sensor data.