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As sustainability becomes an increasingly important priority for local governments, initiatives such as SMART solar street lighting helps communities to adapt new technologies that support the sustainability of existing and future generations. 

The negative impacts of traditional street lighting is becoming increasingly acknowledged by governments and councils across Australia. Our cities have relied on street lighting designed and built in the 19th Century, with costly underground cabling, long-term expenses, and with limited positioning. 

Street lights powered from the grid contribute to high levels of public carbon emissions, impacting environmental wellbeing, at an increasingly high price. In Australia, there are 2.3 million serviced street lights, amounting to an estimated annual cost of $125 million taxpayer expenditure. 

“The amount of emissions caused by electrical street lights in local communities 

lies between 30 to 60 percent, between regional or metropolitan areas.”

 – Lead Designer at LeadSun Australia, Matthew Jones 

The movement towards energy efficient solar street light alternatives has been gaining greater traction across governments and local councils as awareness of the overall social, environmental and economic advantages of smart solar lighting grows. 

What is SMART solar street lighting? 

Sustainable 

SMART solar street lighting is the environmentally friendly solution that requires no power from the grid. SMART solar street lighting transforms energy from the sun with the most advanced solar panel technology available on the market. LeadSun smart solar street lighting is powered by renewable energy sources and is at the forefront of energy efficient practices transforming community spaces at large.

LeadSun Smart Solar Lighting is installed using EZYpole concrete-less footing system, unlike electrically-powered solar lights, this system requires no underground cabling that results in zero destruction to the surrounding environment. 

Modern

SMART solar lights add to the appeal of modern community spaces with their streamlined design. Walking trails, shared pathways and car parks are more inviting and accessible encouraging greater activity in shared community spaces. 

Electrically powered street lights require extensive underground cabling and can only be positioned in certain areas. Solar street lights are easy-to-install and can be positioned flexibly on both sides of the street.  

With advanced remote control technology and off-site wireless control, smart solar street lights can be controlled, monitored and configured from anywhere in the world. 

Adaptable 

Whereas electric-powered street lights require constant and costly power from the grid, solar power street lights can be installed and operated where power is not available. 

The installation process of solar street lights is fast and efficient, taking only a quarter of the usual time it takes to set up electrically powered street lights, significantly contributing to the lower cost, not only where maintaining solar lighting is concerned but throughout the entire installation process. 

Robust

Community wide power blackouts turn cities and suburbs to dark. Solar power lights are the most reliable solar power lighting available and are dependable through electricity blackouts and brownouts.

Technology

LeadSun SMART solar power lights have been designed using advanced innovation technology that intelligently responds to movement in the surrounding environment. Adaptive lighting technology has come a long way, motion sensors installed in smart solar lights automatically dims light to 30% when no activity is detected, saving battery life while ensuring no excess solar powered lighting is used. 

Community benefits of LeadSun solar street lighting:

Easy installation with no monthly costs 

Fast and non-destructive installation system with with no monthly costs

Wi-fi Control

Inbuilt with an advanced wifi system that can be controlled easily from any device

Non-disruptive 

Electrically powered street lights often require disruptive underground wiring that is costly, time consuming and destructive to the surrounding environment

Long term environmentally friendly solution 

Long term environmentally friendly solution with continuous light powered by the sun 

Communities transformed by smart solar lighting: 

Paving the way forward for a sustainable future

Adopting new technologies with low environmental impact that provide sustainable solutions to everyday activities such as solar street lighting is increasingly becoming the norm as governments and local communities learn about the widespread benefits of adopting sustainable technologies. Smart solar street lighting is a stand alone, self-sufficient system that does not require any power from the grid, which means no disruptive underground wiring that is cost-prohibitive, time consuming and destructive to the surrounding environment.

Smart Public Lighting is a stand alone, self-sufficient system that does not require any power from the grid, which means no disruptive underground wiring that is costohi

Leadsun solar lights stand strong after recent Goulburn floods

In August 2020, heavy rainfall caused flooding in Goulburn and surrounding areas, with around 130 millimetres of rain recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology for Goulburn and totals of over 200 millimetres reported in some areas around the region.

Unfortunately, the flooding caused significant damage to some public assets including roads, footpaths and stormwater pipes. Thankfully, however, the solar pathway lights Leadsun had just finished installing in Goulburn – as part of Stage 2 of what is being called Australia’s largest solar lighting installation along the Wollondilly River Walking Track – stood strong.

As Mayor Bob Kirk has stated, “Fortunately, much of our infrastructure network has come through relatively unscathed, with assets such as the Wollondilly River Walkway in reasonable condition. No solar light was damaged.”

This story is just one in our collective experience that demonstrates yet again why our brand promise at Leadsun is Always Dependable, and why we stand by it.

Leadsun is bringing SMART public lighting into all Australian municipalities – easily, affordably and efficiently. If you are looking for a dependable, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solar lighting solution to enhance your community’s public spaces, get in touch with us today.

Solar lights a pathway through lockdown

Thanks to the Covid-19 many of us find ourselves in lockdown with little reprieve other than a morning potter or an evening stroll. In Goulburn, thanks to what is being called Australia’s largest solar lighting installation, locals can now more easily walk and cycle their way to the salutary effects of a daily jaunt.

With the threat of lockdown once again in effect or on the cards for large parts of the nation, many of us are once again facing the prospect of having very little to look forward to each day other than a solitary stroll or a potter-about with a partner.

In fact, the Heart Foundation estimates that 30% of people are walking more than usual thanks to the impacts of the pandemic. That’s why the Goulburn Mulwaree Council (Council) in New South Wales (NSW) has installed what is said to be Australia’s largest solar pathway lighting project.

After all, at this time of year, when the sun seems to show up more out of habit than wanting to put a good long shift in, need of lighting along our walkabout pathways is at its most luminous. That’s why Council nudged Melbourne-based company Leadsun to install 160 of its AE3C solar lights along 10km of the Wollondilly River Walking Track in Goulburn.

Leadsun, which holds a patent on what it calls the first “all-in-one LED solar light,” began the project a year ago, and Managing Director Matt Pollard said that sporting clubs, walking groups and residents were increasingly lobbying local governments to apply for grants to install Smart solar lighting to improve access and safety.

Council utilised the majority of a $500,000 Federal Sport and Recreation grant for the solar lighting of the riverine track. Although, it must be said, one for one, solar public lighting is cheaper than your normal street lighting, partly because it doesn’t require much trenching or electrical wiring, but also because the energy is free from the sun and can be stored in lithium-ion batteries for up to three days.

At just over 160 solar lights, Pollard believes its the largest solar pathway lighting project in Australia. Even fossil fuel enthusiasts like Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor, who would probably prefer Australia’s bush pathways lit by the incendiary fire of gaslamps, had to admit that the walkway in Goulburn was now safer and more accessible. “I’m thrilled that the installation of solar lighting will extend the hours of use of the walkway,” said Taylor.

“There is an increasing awareness that we can all do our bit to reduce carbon emissions across a broad range of smaller-scale projects and in our individual lives,” continued Taylor with a distinct lack of ironical self-awareness. “Along with many Goulburn residents, I enjoy running this track early in the morning or later in the afternoon. the lights will be a great addition to the course, particularly in winter.”

Another such Goulburn resident is Daniel Strickland, a member of Mission Australia’s Man Walk group and a regular trotter of the track, who said the path is far busier than before, especially at those times before the dawn and after the dusk, when previously “we would come along with our iPhones and our torches.” Unfortunately, Strickland failed to mention having ever seen Energy Minister Taylor running the track with gaslamp outstretched before him like Sherlock Holmes on one of his deductive exercises along the Thames.

Nevertheless, the clear success and savings of the project means that Council is now planning a further 1.5km extension to the Smart lighting project. Leadsun, lead on.

From PV Magazine – JULY 24, 2020 BLAKE MATICH

Wodonga council plans expansion of solar pathway network as the number of people walking increases 

With more people walking and 31% of people walking more than usual during COVID-19 the Wodonga Council is doing what more councils are being urged to do – invest in solar pathway lighting. 

Victoria Walks Executive Officer Ben Rossiter is heading up the campaign to call on councils across Victoria to apply for their share of Government Safety Grants available to help fund lighting projects. 

“Since mid-March, Victoria Walks has seen exponential growth in the number of Victorians looking for great, safe places to walk,” Dr Rossiter said. 

Since 2018 Wodonga Council has led the way installing solar lighting across kilometres of popular pathways including at Birallee Park, David Bishop Park, Arthur Dunstan Park, Frank Kier Park, George Looms Park, Westlands Park, James Taverny Park and Belvoir Park. 

Melbourne-based Leadsun, a world leader in solar public lighting and an associate member of Victoria Walks, has worked with Wodonga Council to install the lighting which has made pathways more accessible and helped improve safety. 

Managing Director Matt Pollard said with the increase in local exercise and people out walking, community groups and residents are urging their local councils for improvements to pathways and trails. 

“Many of the recreational trails where people love to walk are in areas where you can’t get traditional street lighting in or it’s too expensive to even try,” Mr Pollard said. 

“In most cases, people either won’t use the path before dawn or after dark, or they’ll walk with an iPhone or torch to try to see where they’re going. One for one, solar lighting is more cost effective than traditional electrical public lighting as there’s no need for extensive trenching, no electrical wiring and the power stores in the battery for three days.” 

Wodonga Council said the rollout of the solar lighting project enhanced the extensive pathways network that was well-used by the community. 

“The solar lighting project is an initiative that aims to enhance personal safety, deter antisocial behaviour and create improved levels of connectivity in the community,” a Council spokesperson said.