Vegas goes Green with Solar Kinetic streetlights
Cities consume a considerable amount of energy per year on lighting. And if that city happens to be Las Vegas, you can expect the bill to be a doozy. But a recently announced partnership with a New York City-based start-up is set to bolster Las Vegas' commitment to renewable energy sources. Soon enough, some of "Sin City's" sidewalks will be illuminated by EnGoPLANET's innovative sun- and people-powered street lights.
EnGoPLANET focuses on developing off-the-grid solutions and infrastructure to harvest energy from alternative sources. Installations of EnGoPLANET's latest, the Street Light, is expected to be a first-ever for the company. Together with the city of Las Vegas, the solar-kinetic lights will be placed throughout Boulder Plaza. Not only are these street lights designed to be powered by the sun, but footsteps of passing pedestrians will help keep them illuminated all through the night.
EnGoPLANET Street Lights can be connected to durable, strategically-placed kinetic energy tiles that are designed to turn motion into useful energy. Each time someone steps on one of these pads, up to 7 W of power is created and then stored in a battery for later use. The lights are equipped with the latest LED technology, ranging from 25 to 75 W depending on the chosen design. Motion sensors can be incorporated so that the lights illuminate only as-needed, thus potentially reducing the amount of energy waste.
Optional features help to transform the EnGoPLANET Street Light into smart tech for cities. Additional sensors measure air quality, temperature, humidity, and water, as video surveillance cameras monitor and analyze traffic. Similar to theBigbelly solar-powered recycling/garbage bin, built-in Wi-Fi transmits real-time data while doubling as a hot spot for mobile devices. Benches and EnGo Charge Spots can be provided so that people have a place to sit and charge devices via USB or wireless pad.
"If you look at traditional street light poles, you will see that they are useless. They simply hold the lighting," says Petar Mirovic, CEO of EnGoPLANET. "With our solution, we've changed that by incorporating useful features into the pole and transforming it into a free service spot where people can rest, charge their portable devices, or connect to Wi-Fi."
