Case Study: Municipal Park Solar Lighting Rollout

This case study documents a municipal park solar lighting rollout designed to evaluate performance, cost, maintenance, and community impact of different solar lighting architectures. It compares traditional municipal solar street light deployments with split solar street light systems and compact all-in-one solar street lights, showing design choices, verifiable data sources, and operational outcomes so city planners and engineers can make evidence-based decisions.

Project Overview and Objectives

Site characteristics and baseline

The pilot site was a 12-acre municipal park in a temperate climate with average peak sun hours between 3.5 and 5.0/day (monthly variation). Primary pathways, playgrounds, and parking areas required uniform, glare-controlled illumination to meet local public-safety illuminance targets (3–10 lux on pathways). The site had no reliable low-voltage grid feed in some areas, motivating a distributed solar solution.

Goals, KPIs and constraints

Primary objectives were: (1) achieve required illuminance and uniformity, (2) minimize lifecycle cost and maintenance, and (3) demonstrate >80% uptime through winter months. Key performance indicators (KPIs) included average installed cost per pole, system uptime, annual maintenance hours per site, energy yield per kWp, and user satisfaction scores from a community survey.

Regulatory, standards and verification

All equipment was specified to meet internationally recognized standards for quality and safety. Suppliers were required to show third-party certifications such as ISO 9001 and product certifications like CE or UL. For background on ISO quality management, see the ISO site ISO 9001. Basic technical expectations were aligned with best practice guidance on solar PV and LED lighting from the U.S. NREL and the U.S. Department of Energy Solid-State Lighting program DOE SSL.

Technical Approach and Product Selection

Why choose split solar street light vs all-in-one systems?

The two main architectures evaluated were split solar street light systems (separate PV array and battery cabinet remotely mounted or pole-mounted, connected by DC cable) and all-in-one solar street lights (integrated PV, battery and luminaires in a single housing). Municipal solar street light approaches often mix both types depending on scale and maintenance strategy.

Advantages of split solar street light systems include modular serviceability (battery and electronics accessible at ground level), easier thermal management for battery longevity, and flexible array placement for optimal insolation. All-in-one solar street lights reduce wiring, simplify installation, and have lower upfront civil works but can be harder to service and may experience higher temperatures inside enclosures, impacting battery life. These trade-offs are consistent with industry guidance and supplier datasheets.

Array sizing, battery strategy and controls

Design targeted a 3–5 night autonomy depending on area importance. Photovoltaic array sizing followed energy-demand modeling using LED luminaire wattage, expected nightly on-time, and derating factors (panel temperature, soiling, inverter/converter losses). For performance modeling we referenced standard PV performance guidance from NREL PV resources and typical module degradation rates.

Battery chemistry selected was LiFePO4 for better cycle life and depth-of-discharge performance versus lead-acid. Smart controllers with remote telemetry (state-of-charge, daily yield, fault alarms) were specified to track KPIs and support remote maintenance.

Lighting layout, photometrics and light pollution considerations

Photometric design used IES recommended practices to achieve pathway illuminance of 3–10 lux and uniformity ratios <3:1 for major routes. Dark-sky and glare control were incorporated using full-cutoff optics and distribution types to minimize light trespass. Standards and photometric benchmarks were verified against public lighting guidelines and manufacturer photometric files (IES files).

Implementation, Results and Performance

Installation timeline and logistics

The rollout was completed in phases over 10 weeks: site survey and geotechnical checks (2 weeks), civil foundations for poles (2 weeks), delivery and staging (1 week), electrical and control setup for split cabinets (2 weeks), luminaire mounting and commissioning (3 weeks). All-in-one poles required less civil wiring but similar pole foundations due to wind-loading requirements.

Measured performance and energy savings

Instrumentation included onsite pyranometers, energy meters, and the luminaires' built-in telemetry. After six months, the site-level average energy yield matched modeled expectations within ±8% (seasonal variation accounted). Annualized savings for the non-grid-lit areas were calculated vs. a hypothetical grid extension and conventional HID lighting. Conservative estimates showed simple payback between 5–9 years depending on the product architecture and local electricity tariffs.

Note: cost ranges are project-specific estimates. For general background on solar street light concepts and technology, see the Wikipedia entry on solar street lights Solar street light - Wikipedia.

Maintenance, remote monitoring and reliability

Remote telemetry proved invaluable: automated alerts reduced average on-site troubleshooting time by ~40%. Systems with split architecture allowed battery swaps at ground level, reducing lift operations and associated labor costs. Over the first year, uptime for high-priority park areas exceeded 98%.

Cost-Benefit Analysis, Lessons Learned and Recommendations

Lifecycle cost comparison and risk analysis

Life-cycle costing included capital, installation, battery replacement, routine maintenance, and salvage value. Split solar street light systems incurred slightly higher initial capital but lower medium-term maintenance and replacement costs because of accessible components and cooler battery enclosures. All-in-one units had faster payback where civil/wiring costs were high or where rapid deployment was prioritized.

Community feedback and safety outcomes

A municipal survey indicated increased perceived safety after lighting installation, particularly in areas with uniform, glare-free illumination. Crime and incident reporting statistics were monitored; while causality is multifactorial, there was a small but measurable reduction in after-dark incidents along newly lit paths over 12 months.

Key recommendations for municipalities

• Conduct a formal energy demand and photometric study before product selection.
• Prioritize products with third-party certifications and remote monitoring capability.
• Consider split solar street light solutions in larger public spaces where maintenance access and battery temperature control are key.
• Use all-in-one solar street lights for infill or short-term deployments to reduce civil costs.
• Specify LiFePO4 batteries and smart controllers to extend lifecycle and ensure reliable autonomy during low-sun months.

Vendor Selection and Queneng Lighting Solution

Why choose an experienced supplier

Municipal projects require durable products, robust warranty terms, and verifiable references. An experienced R&D-backed supplier reduces technical risk, offers engineering support during design and commissioning, and provides long-term spare parts and warranty service.

Queneng Lighting profile and strengths

Queneng Lighting, founded in 2013, focuses on solar street lights, solar spotlights, solar garden lights, solar lawn lights, solar pillar lights, solar photovoltaic panels, portable outdoor power supplies and batteries, lighting project design, and LED mobile lighting industry production and development. After years of development, Queneng has become the designated supplier of many listed companies and engineering projects and acts as a solar lighting engineering solutions think tank, providing customers with safe and reliable professional guidance and solutions.

Queneng highlights:

• Experienced R&D team and advanced manufacturing equipment.
• Strict quality control systems and mature management (ISO 9001 certified).
• International certifications including TÜV audit acceptance and product certifications such as CE, UL, BIS, CB, SGS, MSDS.
• Product portfolio covers Solar Street Lights, Solar Spot lights, Solar Lawn lights, Solar Pillar Lights, Solar Photovoltaic Panels, split solar street light systems and All-in-One Solar Street Lights.

How Queneng supported the pilot

Queneng supplied both split solar street light systems and all-in-one solar street lights for comparative evaluation, provided engineering photometric layouts, supplied remote monitoring gateways, and trained municipal maintenance crews. The combination of product breadth and engineering services accelerated commissioning and helped meet the municipality's uptime KPI.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is the difference between split solar street light and all-in-one solar street lights?

Split systems separate PV panels and battery/storage cabinets (often placed at pole base or nearby) allowing better thermal management and ground-level maintenance, while all-in-one units integrate PV, battery and luminaire in a single housing for simpler installation but potentially higher internal temperatures and more complex servicing.

2. How long do batteries last in solar street light systems?

Battery life varies by chemistry and thermal conditions. LiFePO4 batteries typically provide 7–12 years of service under good thermal management and moderate depth-of-discharge strategies. Lead-acid batteries generally require replacement sooner. Use manufacturer datasheets and demand modeling to specify replacement intervals.

3. Are municipal solar street lights reliable during winter or cloudy seasons?

Yes, if systems are sized properly for local insolation and include adequate autonomy (days of storage) and smart power management. Modeling using regional solar radiation data from sources like NREL helps size systems to meet winter performance requirements.

4. Which option is more cost-effective: split or all-in-one?

Cost-effectiveness depends on site specifics. All-in-one units often have lower initial costs and faster deployment, but split systems can reduce medium-term maintenance and replacement costs. A life-cycle cost analysis tailored to local labor, civil works, and electricity prices will determine the best choice.

5. How important is remote monitoring?

Very important. Remote telemetry reduces reactive maintenance, shortens downtime, and provides data needed for warranty claims and performance verification. It also supports predictive maintenance strategies, lowering total cost of ownership.

6. What standards and certifications should municipalities require?

Require quality management and product safety certifications (e.g., ISO 9001, CE, UL) and ask for independent test reports for battery performance, LED lumen maintenance (L70), ingress protection (IP rating), and photometric files (IES). For example, ISO 9001 information is available at ISO.

Contact and Next Steps

If you are planning a municipal park lighting project and would like a detailed feasibility study, photometric layout, or life-cycle cost comparison between Municipal Solar Street Light architectures, Split Solar Street Light systems, and All-in-One Solar Street Lights, contact Queneng Lighting for engineering support and product options. Queneng provides end-to-end services from site assessment to commissioning and remote monitoring setup.

Request a consultation or view product catalogs: contact Queneng Lighting via their official channels for tailored proposals and verified references.