Solar street light - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Solar street lights are raised light sources which are powered by photovoltaic panels generally mounted on the lighting structure. The photovoltaic panels charge a rechargeable battery, which powers a fluorescent

Fluorescent lamp

A fluorescent lamp or fluorescent tube is a gas-discharge lamp that uses electricity to excite mercury vapor. The excited mercury atoms produce short-wave ultraviolet light that then causes a phosphor to fluoresce, producing visible light. A fluorescent lamp converts electrical power into useful...

or LED lamp

LED lamp

An LED lamp is a solid-state lamp that uses light-emitting diodes as the source of light. The LEDs involved may be conventional semiconductor light-emitting diodes, organic LEDs , or polymer light-emitting diodes devices, although PLED technologies are not currently commercially available.Since...

during the night.

Features

Most solar panels turn on and turn off automatically by sensing outdoor light using a light source. Solar streetlights are designed to work throughout the night. Many can stay lit for more than just one night not if sun in not available for a couple of days. Older models included lamps that were not florescent or LED. Solar lights installed in windy regions are generally equipped with flat panels to better cope with the winds.

Latest designs use wireless technology and fuzzy control theory for battery management. The street lights using this technology can operate as a network with each light having the capability of performing on or off the network.

Standalone solar street lights

Standalone solar street lights have photovoltaic panels mounted on the structure. Each street light has its own photovoltaic panels and is independent of the other lamps.

Centrally operated solar street lights

In this type, the photovoltaic panels for a group of street lights are mounted separately. All the street lights in a particular group are connected to this central power source.

Advantages

Solar street lights are independent of the utility grid. Hence, the operation costs are minimized.
Solar street lights require much less maintenance compared to conventional street lights.
Since external wires are eliminated, risk of accidents is minimized.

Disadvantages

Initial investment is higher compared to conventional street lights.
Risk of theft is higher as equipment costs are comparatively higher.

Implementation in the Sunderbans

Solar street lights were installed in the Sundarban Tiger Reserve

Sundarbans National Park

The Sundarbans National Park [Sundarban Tour Booking-9051115228] is a National Park, Tiger Reserve, and a Biosphere Reserve located in the Sundarbans delta in the Indian state of West Bengal. This region is densely covered by mangrove forests, and is one of the largest reserves for the Bengal tiger...

(STR) in August 2008 and April 2009 with assisstance from the Forest Protection Committee

Joint Forest Management

Joint Forest Management often abbreviated as JFM is the official and popular term in India for partnerships in forest management involving both the state forest departments and local communities...

and the STR officials. Each household in the region were provided with a home light connection by the WWF

World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...