Public lighting system that runs on solar and wind

The UPC (Polytechnic University of Catalonia) and Eolgreen have designed a public lighting system that runs on solar and wind power. The prototype street lights are said to be 20% cheaper to run than conventional lighting systems.

This system, developed after four years of research, is designed for roads, motorways, parks and other public areas. 

The prototype is 10 metres high and is fitted with a solar panel, a wind turbine and a battery. The turbine runs at a speed of 10 to 200 revolutions per minute (rpm) and has a maximum output of 400 W.

The developers’ aim is to make the lighting system even more environmentally efficient, so work is being done on a second prototype generator that runs at a lower speed (10 to 60 rpm) and has a lower output (100 W). An electronic control system manages the flow of energy between the solar panel, the wind turbine, the battery and the light.

“It takes very little wind to produce energy. The generator that has been developed can start working at a wind speed of only 1.7 metres per second (m/s), whereas current wind turbines need more than 2.5 m/s,” said UPC researcher Ramon Bargalló. “This low intensity can provide six nights of electricity without wind or sun,” he added.

Eolgreen has already signed agreements with the port of Huelva and the municipal authorities of Sant Boi de Llobregat, Girona and several towns in Andalusia. The company plans to manufacture 700 street lights in 2015.