The Future of Street Lights?
We have a reader in Adana, Turkey who loves to submit renewable energy concepts, but I’m beginning to think he’s pulling my leg, as each one is so obviously defective.
Here’s a prize-winner. He calls this “the future of street lamps,” apparently in the belief that a cylindrical array of solar PV is a good idea. Does he not understand that the core of solar is the incidence of lots of photons from the sun? Dude, at any given time, they’re coming in one and only one direction.
Worse yet, there are four fixed quadrants of solar cells, one of which will receive no direct sunlight. That’s the north-facing quadrant in northern hemisphere installations and the south-facing quadrant in southern hemisphere installations. That’s like putting solar panels in your basement.
Craig,
Why are you so sneeringly negative toward this unfortunate reader ?
Solar powered street lights are not unusual in hot countries with a lot of sunlight. The panels are connected to a battery at the base and provide light when needed. The lights are often fitted with long range motion detectors.
The design of the solar panels will absorb light/heat all day especially from reflected surfaces and as the sun moves around the panels.
The panels are only required to provide enough energy for lighting, they don’t need any ‘optimum’ efficiency beyond the immediate needs of the light fixture.
Your churlish response to your Turkish reader is reflective of the change in tolerance and open minded spirit of inquiry to new technology since you became obsessed with politics.