Solar street lamp to debut at Sullivan Renaissance Expo event

Companies partner in creation of new light

sandylong@riverreporter >By SANDY LONG

BETHEL, NY — Participants at this weekend’s Sullivan Renaissance Conference and Expo at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts will be the first to see a new solar street lamp being debuted at the event. Two companies have combined their expertise in creating a solution to solar street lighting by designing a lamp that they consider to be aesthetically pleasing while operating independently of the electrical grid.

Hadco Lighting of Littlestown, PA and SolarOne Solutions of Framingham, MA have developed the lamp, integrating state-of-the-art photovoltaic power and LED lighting technology that incorporates SolarOne’s MC2 controls into Hadco’s classic fixtures reminiscent of 19th century gas lamps.

According to SolarOne spokesperson Ilze Greene, the company had been working with Hadco on a path-lighting project for Yale University when the basic notion for the lamp’s design was first conceived. The project moved forward at an introductory meeting with Sullivan Renaissance where Steering Committee chair Sandra Gerry, urged Moneer Azzam, SolarOne’s president, to improve the lamp’s attractiveness.

Azzam collaborated with Chris Hammelef, general manager of Hadco, to bring their teams together to build a prototype. SolarOne’s recent advancements in high lumen lamps and MC2 control technology, combined with high-efficiency solar panels, allowed the development of a system that produced 60 percent more light with 25 percent smaller solar panels.

According to Greene, “MC2 technology features the latest in ultra-bright white LEDs, the highest efficiency constant-current driver circuitry and a sophisticated system manager, giving the customer unparalleled control of when and how to use their solar-powered lumens. Some of the features include the ability to dim the lamps at off-peak hours, battery run-time extension modes to improve reliability and dusk/dawn sensing algorithms to compensate for snow cover. Users can even program their lighting preferences and run diagnostics with a remote control.”

Each solar lamp is expected to offset an estimated 4,000 pounds of greenhouse gases annually, while remaining operational during disasters and emergencies when power grids may be down.

One of the chief obstacles to the development of solar street lamps has been their bulky unattractiveness, due to the necessity of incorporating individual power units (including panel, controller and battery) into each lamp. Hadco developed the idea of hanging the panels like banners and concealing the battery and controller in the base of the unit.

Beyond issues of aesthetics, Greene points out, “I think there is something beautiful about people using solar panels in general!”

“It’s something a community can really be proud of.” Gerry adds. “We are excited to be able to provide a setting to make these tools and resources available to our volunteers. Solar-powered street lamps represent an opportunity for communities to make connections between beautification and environmental issues.”

The conference, “Soul to Solar: Inspiration, tools and resources to make a difference in your community,” will focus on solar initiatives and resources available to Sullivan County communities. Sullivan Renaissance is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to beautifying Sullivan County. (See related sidebar below).

Additional information is available at sullivanrenaissance.org and hadco.com and solarone.net.