Trends in New Energy Lighting Development from the Top Ten News Stories

Although the pandemic caused disruptions in 2020, it was still a remarkable year for new energy lighting. With new steps into the new year, the top ten news stories of 2020 in new energy lighting, represented by photovoltaic street lights, were brilliantly released.

These achievements not only represent the performance of 2020, but also serve as a tribute to 2021, indicating future trends in technology and the market.

In particular, the large-scale application of Shandong Zhiao's integrated thin-film module and pole street light represents one of the new development trends for photovoltaic street lights in the future. It exhibits several characteristics: First, the single-system lamp has high power, at 150 watts; second, it uses new thin-film materials; third, the change in the position of the thin-film modules has brought about innovation in the structure of photovoltaic street lights; fourth, it is applied on the Zibo West Fifth Road and Qingyin Expressway overpass, a six-lane dual carriageway, expanding the application fields.

Although monocrystalline silicon photovoltaic single systems can achieve 120W and 150W, their wind resistance and weight are constrained by the application environment. The two types of photovoltaic street lights, crystalline silicon "Doctor's Hat" and thin-film "Golden Cudgel," each have their own characteristics and suitable environments. They will coexist for a long time in the future, complementing each other and showcasing their respective strengths. It is reported that five domestic companies already manufacture integrated photovoltaic street lights with modules and poles. Crystalline silicon types include SinoFly, Hunan Nepun, and Jiangmen Woneng; thin-film types include Shandong Zhiao and Jiangsu Jingxu. At GILE (Guangzhou International Lighting Exhibition) in October 2021, polycrystalline silicon module and pole integrated photovoltaic street lights were exhibited. The expansion of single-system lamp power can bring about huge market space expansion, adapting to the market demand for the expansion of photovoltaic street lights from villages and towns to cities.

Although integrated PV street lights with components and poles currently lack a price advantage, their advantages of high power, sleek appearance, and improved performance will gradually prevail.

Smart solar-powered light poles represent a significant advancement in functionality. The deployment of Jiangsu Jingxuzhi's multifunctional smart light poles in the old street of Yuhang, Hangzhou, has opened up new possibilities. Firstly, they facilitate the addition of features; secondly, they enable areas where laying power cables is difficult, as well as towns with limited or no electricity access, to enjoy the convenience offered by multifunctional smart solar-powered light poles.

The application of Hunan Nipuen's combined high-power photovoltaic street lights on the Changsha Dongzhu Expressway has also opened up new application areas. Its deployment on bidirectional 6- to 10-lane roads demonstrates that photovoltaic street light system technology has met the requirements for nighttime lighting on expressways. Recently, Professor Xu Daisheng from the School of Optoelectronics and Communication Engineering at Xiamen University of Technology provided important information: On the evening of December 13, the street lights along the 9-kilometer Luze Tai Elevated Expressway in Wenling, Taizhou, Zhejiang, were illuminated. According to a report by China Lighting Network on January 8, the street lights along the entire 159-kilometer expressway in Foshan were turned on. This indicates that a new application area for photovoltaic street lights is expected to open up. As early as New Year's Day 2019, the photovoltaic street lights installed by Hunan Nipuen on the Yanchong Expressway in Beijing were illuminated, and their performance was recognized by the street light department. This was a forward-looking and beneficial attempt.

Beijing Lingyang Weiye Company supplied controllers for up to 200,000 solar street lights in a region of Liuzhou, a rare volume. These were simultaneously connected to the company's remote IoT street light management platform, achieving networked, visualized, and intelligent management of solar street lights. It can be said that network intelligent control and technology have enhanced the performance and cost-effectiveness of solar street lights, thereby generating greater social benefits.

These innovative application achievements fully demonstrate that technology opens up markets, technology wins markets, markets spur technology, and markets enhance technology. Currently, the system technology, performance, and application results of China's photovoltaic street lights are comparable to those of grid-powered street lights. In particular, the combination of long-duration energy storage and networked intelligent control has become the optimal choice for lighting in areas without electricity or with power shortages, such as grasslands, forest farms, islands, and mountainous regions in China.

As we bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, time waits for no one; the shifting stars urge us to forge ahead. The new year is full of challenges and hope. The application of clean energy and renewable energy is a major global trend in environmental protection. Technological progress improves quality, and scientific application expands the market. China's new energy lighting is entering a new period of development, with significant responsibilities and a long journey ahead. May the new energy lighting market demonstrate its strength as it expands from villages and towns to urban and rural areas.

Let Sunshine Lighting brighten more nights!

Author: An Lanpo, Executive Deputy Director of the New Energy Lighting Professional Committee of the China Illuminating Engineering Society

Source: New Energy Lighting Professional Committee of China Illuminating Engineering Society