The renewable energy in a led standalone streetlight

Abstract

This work deals with the design of a standalone streetlight provided with a solar panel and a multiple vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT) along the structure. A prototype was built and is currently being tested in the Monte Dago campus of the Università Politecnica delle Marche. The ongoing focus of the project is to improve the overall efficiency and the manufacturing details for the industrialization. A battery bank allows delaying the energy delivering from the energy production, while a central process unit on board collects the data from every component in the equipment. This unit allows to monitor the day-by-day efficiency of the energy-lighting system, and to send the information wirelessly with the purpose of integrating into a smart grid-like management platform. The test site includes a meteorological mast, which can measure the weather conditions, such as wind speed and solar radiation. The wind turbines included in the streetlight have been studied from an aerodynamic point of view through an extensive experimental analysis in the wind tunnel. Moreover, the structural design of the wind rotors was carried out together with the security system including a mechanical brake, which prevents the damage of the components during high wind speed conditions. The control of the hybrid energy unit, designed to track the optimal performance, has been analyzed throughout the local wind conditions. Also, it is discussed the effectiveness of this streetlight concept in various climate situations.