LED Streetlights Power the Way

There have been some interesting developments in the electronics/technology world over this month. One, I was drawn to a story that talked about 870,000 LED streetlights, which are likely to be installed globally during 2010.

At first, I thought this is a great story! On closer examination, I realized something was amiss. This figure is hardly anything!

Well, to the story first. LEDinside has indicated that although streetlight standards are not yet in place and regulations of the product specifications are set according to different needs in different regions, LED streetlight becomes modulized, and intelligent control system of LED streetlight will be more complete. It goes on to add that LEDinside noted that LED streetlight standards around the world are still being drafted. Among these countries, the fastest in progress is in Taiwan, which launched the CNS 15233 LED streetlight standards.

Now, I am repeating myself all over again – the current demand in India for LED lighting far exceeds any prediction made! The Government of India's Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission (NSM) already has a plan target of deploying 20 million solar lighting systems for rural areas alone by 2022. This number is clearly underestimated. The actual requirement should be far more.

Some months ago, I'd mentioned Bangalore's OnLeo Global Solutions, which finished the installation and commissioning of LED streetlights in Sadashivanagar area in Bangalore. More such ecofriendly green technology initiatives are undergoing in India.

I don't know how many of you are aware that the RIL Solar Group – the solar energy initiative of Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) – has successfully implemented and commissioned India’s first 1-MW solar plant on the roof of the Thyagaraj Stadium in New Delhi.

This is not all! The RIL Solar Group has implemented power plants in the R. K. Khanna Tennis Complex – where a lot of Davis Cup ties are held – as well as solar LED street lights and garden lights in the Commonwealth Games Village, which will be held later this year. With these, RIL Solar Group has installed 100 percent of the solar PV power generating equipment for the Commonwealth Games 2010. The entire solar initiative is one of the major initiatives to compensate for CO2 emissions to be released through the game.

Seriously, LED lights, and in this case, streetlights, are powering the way!

Pradeep