Signify street lights will toggle between solar and grid power

Hoping to make solar-powered street lights a more viable option in less sunny environments, Signify will begin outfitting its photovoltaic-equipped luminaires with a controller that toggles the electricity  between solar and the grid depending on conditions.

The luminaires store solar electricity in a battery that powers the street lights at night. With the new “hybrid” approach, batteries require only a day’s worth of sun, because grid electricity can take over, “whereas off-grid solar lighting systems typically need up to five days of panel and battery capacity,” Signify claimed.

The new controllers also make it possible to boost lumens to 24,000. Levels top out at 13,500 lm without the controller. With the controller, efficacy increases to 175lm/W, compared to 140 lm/W without. Performance can be monitored remotely using wireless technology, Signify said.

Read more: LEDs Magazine