Some wise guy has come up with an idea of installing solar powered traffic lights. Is it a sustainable idea?

8 Comments

1. Frederick M says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   Possibly, if the solar energy is stored in a battery. (Otherwise… no lights on cloudy days or weeks or in nighttimes.)

   Solar always means "mining lead" which always means significant harmful pollution (it has been illegal since 1978 to paint the inside of a house with lead paint, and other storage materials for widespread electricity storage beside lead are still too expensive to be feasible.)
2. Sunmi L says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   yes it is. solar power is the best.
3. jimk says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   yes it is that is a great idea
4. A.V.R. says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   They are working well in many parts of Bangalore, India.
5. Nigel M says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   It will require LED lights for energy efficiency because traffic lights are always supposed to be operating in some manner. As note batteries will be required.

   Note many railroads use solar powered signal lights, BUT they only come on when a train is near; which is not many times per day, and not for very long duration.
6. Thomas B says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   At least in terms of the solar part, yes it is. The traffic lights on Tiananmen Square in Beijing have been powered by solar for a long time. The panels used on the system are produced by Suntech Power, who quote two years energy payback on the panels. I’m as yet unfamiliar with other parts, such as the battery mentioned above, but can confirm LEDs were used.

   For more information on Solar projects in sydney, checkout Sydney Energy Cooperative http://www.energycoop.com.au
7. Numbat says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   Traffic lights take a reasonable amount of power. Each of the lights is usually about 75 watts. Keep in mind the lights can not turn off. Some of the bulbs must be lit at all times.Otherwise the intersection would no longer be controlled. If the solar panel is charging a battery, maybe OK.
8. James H says:

   July 13, 2010 at 4:05 pm

   Well, it depends if you’re buying or selling.
   Since the people who came up traffic lights
   originally were the corner stores.
   Which since the corner stores were generally
   also right next to banks, it’s a lot of the reason people
   invented computer networks, to avoid
   traffic lights entirely.