“Though the streetlights in our lane never burn at nights, they work overtime staying aglow day and night in the neighbouring street” - is a sarcastic comment often heard from the public.
Residents need not fret anymore for the streets will be brightly lit all night and the lights will go dead exactly at the stroke of dawn.
The Energy Management Centre (EMC), under the State Department of Power, has developed an Almanac-fed ON/OFF control Automatic Streetlight Switching System (Astrolite) for streetlights and park lights.
The switching system is tuned to sunset and sunrise timings, says G. Anil, Head, Small Hydro Power Division, Energy Management Centre.
“The manual switching off/on of streetlights may not coincide with the sunrise and sunset. An unnecessary 30-minute burning of 250 W sodium vapour lamp may result in energy waste to the tune of 45-50 units per year.”
Around 20 sodium vapour lamps of 250 W can be connected in one Astrolite unit (6000 W), says Mr. Anil. Thus a single Astrolite unit may result in an annual saving of 900-1,000 units.
It is estimated that, on an average, each corporation spends more than Rs.1 crore and municipalities, around Rs. 2-3 lakh a month as energy bill for street lighting.
“As per Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) records, the total energy consumption for street lighting is approximately 250 million units a year. If we can save five per cent of this energy consumption it will be a great achievement for the country,” he says.
Two units of this system had already been installed at Thalassery municipality in Kannur for demonstration. The cost of the system is Rs.8,500 a unit. It has a programmable clock and calendar and a weather-proof enclosure.
Saving of energy is the need of the hour as the demand has gone up steeply while the generation remains static. The Union government is planning to save at least 25,000 MW during the next Five Year Plan by taking appropriate energy conservation measures.
The EMC is keen on installing this Almanac-fed Automatic Streetlight Switching System in Municipalities and Corporations in the State with the financial support of the civic body concerned.
