UK tests grid-connected solar streetlights

A trial of the UK’s first grid-connected solar streetlight has begun in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, undertaken by Connect Plus, the consortium tasked with upgrading and maintaining the M25. If successful, the SunMast “eco streetlight” could reduce the carbon footprint of street lighting by 120 per cent.

SunMast uses a series of photovoltaic (PV) panels integrated into the body of the mast to convert daylight to electricity. An inverter in the base of the mast converts the electricity from DC to AC and it is then exported back to the national grid, effectively becoming a distributed solar energy system. When night falls, street lights are then powered from the grid in the normal way.

SunMast is designed to generate more power than it consumes and is hoped to one day help achieve zero-emission street lighting. The system was designed by Danish solar-powered lighting developer Scotia ApS, which recently entered into a partnership with KN Network Services Ltd, based in the UK and Ireland. The new venture — Scotia Light Limited — will be responsible for bringing the SunMast and other solar products to market.

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