Today’s solar streetlight in the USA goes through many kinds of lighting methods. Initially, the streetlight was acknowledged by Benjamin Franklin from Philadelphia. Therefore, this city was regarded as the birthplace of the USA’s street lighting.
Alternative energy from the sun is used widespread to keep the non-renewable energy available and to hinder the impact of greenhouse gases. Some lighting companies, like SDD Lights, are developing many kinds of lighting products using solar power. SDD Light has expanded into countries in America, Europe, and Asia. It is a good choice to start using alternative energy, aided by the choices from SDD Lights.
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Before the era of solar-powered lights, these slight articles will show the type of lighting before solar streetlight in the USA, in the sequentially historical order.
Considered to be the predecessor of street lighting, arc lamps were used in the early 20th century. Since their lights were bright, so they needed a high tower, around 60-150 feet. The high lumen light from arc lamps today is still used in the lighthouse and industry, not in the street lighting. High maintenance is the reason why arc lamps are decreasingly used.
Replacing arc lamps, incandescent lights were the first low-power electric lights. The CRI (Color Rendering Index) is 100. CRI is a number to measure the ability of the light source to present from the natural light source. It means incandescent light produces an identical color from the source. Yet, they are less efficient.
The glow has strong ultraviolet, but the visible light is weak. Fluorescent lamps are more efficient than incandescent lamps, but they are too large for street lighting. These lamps are a bit fragile and produce a scattered non-directional lamp. Though it is less efficient for street lighting, it is useful for the roadside establishment and parking lot.
MV streetlight produced light brighter than the above predecessors. Some people were not fond of the bluish-green light. This effect made people appear blood-draining all over them. As it ages, the light output lessens with the same energy. In some rare cases, in the process of dimming, MV can burn out. Hence, the US banned the use of MV by the Energy Policy Act 2005 in 2008. In Europe, the bulbs were banned in 2015.
HPS was commonly used in the 1980s. Its orange glow became the supreme type in many American roadways. HPS gave more increased light than MV and was more efficient. The use of HPS was diminishing dramatically, but it is still used in greenhouses.
Schools, warehouses, and hospitals used metal halide lighting. It shone a truly white light. At the end of their life cycle, metal halide tends to dim or emit a pinkish glow. Metal halides are not used for street lighting for the high cost and low life hours.
The induction lamp has efficient energy, long lamp life, and a high CRI index. The large size of the induction lamp makes it ineffective in street lighting.
These lamps were used in the city walkways and street lighting. It is rare nowadays due to the high heat build-up, limited light output, low life for the regular cycling of the lamp, and the problem of dimming during the cold weather.
LED has finally replaced the predecessor lamps, especially for crossing sign usage and traffic light. LED lights are developing rapidly in efficiency, light output, and color rendering. The cost is high, comparing to other lamps, but it then decreases fast. The efficiency and the increasing lifespan make it more favorable for street lighting use. The increasing cost of the lamps is compensated by the reduced cost of electricity and some maintenance.
The problem occurs as the heat build-up can reduce the life of LED lamps, especially near summer. Heat removal technology is impractical costly. However, solar streetlights in the USA can still be continued for efficiency by managing free thermal in good maintenance.
Electricity as the source of lights is still used limitedly in some part of USA. Like arc lamps and incandescent lamps, they are used for films and stages to present the functional effect that can not be performed by other lamps. Yet, the widespread use of solar streetlights in the USA will gradually be opted, as one of the leading well-developed countries.
