Traffic lights are an essential part of our daily lives, although we often neglect their role and importance.
But if you think a bit, it would be almost impossible to maintain order on the roads without these flashing signals. They regulate traffic flow, prevent accidents, and ensure the safety of everyone on the road.
For traffic lights to work without interruption, they need a constant source of electricity. Sustainability and renewable energy are widely promoted around the world, so their implementation into traffic lights is no exception.
It seems like a good idea, bearing in mind a host of benefits these systems can bring.
The use of solar panels is becoming more and more widespread, whether in households, commercial properties, or public areas. The working principle of these systems is quite simple – the panels collect solar energy with the help of collectors and store it in batteries.
There, with the help of small generators, this energy turns into electricity, which traffic signals use for operation.
For even greater efficiency, solar energy in traffic lights is generally combined with LED bulbs. They’re mostly used as blinkers (road blinker lights), which you might see on construction sites, road dangers, railway crossings, or any areas where the traffic needs to slow down.
There are many advantages of these systems, and we explain them.
Long-Lasting Solution
When invented, the main characteristic with which LED bulbs stunned the world was their longevity. With an average lifespan of over 50,000 working hours (about five years), these fixtures last almost 50 times longer than traditional bulbs used in traffic lights.
The average replacement period for incandescent bulbs in traffic signal lights is about six months. In the long run, solar traffic systems with LED bulbs are more reliable because, besides longer working life, they tend to burn out less often.
When this technology is combined with solar energy, which is self-sufficient and non-exhaustive, the result is a reliable and long-lasting system of traffic signaling. Because of that, the entire signaling system will face fewer breakdowns and have less downtime.
That means a world for public security because functional signal lights improve road safety and prevent traffic collapse and accidents.
Better Visibility
If you use LEDs in your home, you’ve probably noticed they shine more brightly than halogen bulbs.
This happens thanks to a process called electroluminescence. Inside the LED bulb, there’s a small chip that acts as a semiconductor. It’s wrapped up in a layer of plastic or glass that additionally directs the energy, which is why these bulbs shine even brighter.
Thanks to this technology, solar traffic LED bulbs emit very bright light, even at night when there is no direct sunlight. It enables them to be visible from a very long distance but also in conditions of reduced visibility, for example, when there is fog or heavy rain.
Also, these lights are noticeable even to people who have a problem with color blindness.
Energy-Efficient
The benefits of using solar energy have been known for a long time. Still, it’s worth mentioning its economic side.
The sun is (for now) an inexhaustible and free energy source. The only investment required to use this natural energy is the infrastructure needed to generate it into electricity. And when transformed into electricity, it can power up traffic signaling.
As technology advances, these systems become more innovative and perform better.
When utilizing LED traffic lights, they consume almost 80% less energy than traditional bulbs without compromising lighting performance. And since the power source itself costs almost nothing, the entire system brings significant savings to the city authorities.
Eco-Friendly
Because they are energy efficient, LED lights are a more environmentally friendly solution than traditional halogen bulbs. Lower power use contributes to energy conversion, so the environmental impact and carbon footprint of solar traffic safety solutions are also lower.
Besides, LEDs emit more lighting with the same power input, meaning fewer bulbs can achieve the desired effect. That cuts the amount of waste after these fixtures come to the end of their work life.
Traditional halogen bulbs emit a large amount of heat.
It’s not used but released out, which contributes to environmental pollution. Unlike them, LED bulbs are known as “cold” because they don’t emit heat. Instead of filaments, they use the already mentioned semiconductors to convert more electricity into light.
Simply put, only a fraction of sunlight goes toward heat, while the majority turns into light energy. That’s why there is no heat emission. That boosts the light intensity but also makes solar traffic systems safer, as there’s no risk of fire or overheating.
Another advantage of solar traffic lights that use LED bulbs is less use of hazardous materials like mercury.
It’s a common metal found in incandescent bulbs, so their use is decreasing. In addition, there are specific ways of disposing of these lighting fixtures, which reduce waste and support recycling. That makes the entire system more eco-friendly.
Cost-Effective
Solar-powered traffic light systems are energy-efficient, meaning they carry less cost. They don’t depend on fossil fuels or any other non-renewable source. With a stable energy supply, there will be no system downtime.
On this link, check how solar-powered systems can benefit your home.
Plus, solar-powered fixtures have better features, like sensors for heavy traffic and adaptive timing, meaning optimal system work. When you add LEDs to that, the energy consumption drops, as the maintenance costs for these fixtures.
The initial installation costs can be higher than traditional traffic signaling.
However, there are many government incentives for entities that opt for these solar-powered systems. In the long run, the savings will offset the initial investment, as operational and maintenance costs will drop.
Traffic signaling is an excellent solution for traffic management. When solar-powered, this system becomes even better and provides a host of benefits to cities and traffic participants. It’s cost-effective, reliable, and non-dependable on non-renewable fuels.
That makes solar traffic lights a sustainable and smarter solution for managing traffic.