http://www.getsolar.com/blog/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/45/ Get the latest news on solar homes, solar panels & renewable energy Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:47:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.getsolar.com/blog/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/45/comment-page-1/#comment-39 American Coal: Taking Its Business Where It’s Wanted | Solar Homes & Solar Installers Directory Blog | Getsolar.com Fri, 21 Mar 2008 10:00:27 +0000 http://getsolar.com/blog/2008/01/29/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/#comment-39 [...] Africa, a worldwide coal exporter, has had to focus more on satisfying local demand, because of power outages earlier this year. One of the world’s top coal-producing nations, Australia, has temporarily had to reduce exports [...] [...] Africa, a worldwide coal exporter, has had to focus more on satisfying local demand, because of power outages earlier this year. One of the world’s top coal-producing nations, Australia, has temporarily had to reduce exports [...]

]]> http://www.getsolar.com/blog/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/45/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Matthew Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:43:31 +0000 http://getsolar.com/blog/2008/01/29/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/#comment-24 Interesting that you mention solar billboards; there is a new article about them going up in Florida. http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=93480704.5072836.628329.61551202.7175069.367&aID2=48324&mostread=true Applications exist where solar as a distributed generation technology definitely works. A reliable energy grid is expensive to build and in many respects fragile. In the US we are relying on some pretty old technology. One estimate suggests that by deploying smart grid technology nation-wide we could eliminate 10% of electricity demand through system optimization alone. In a nation that spends 300 billion dollars a year on electricity, that's a nice number (the capital investment required to reap those benefits are on the order of 100 billion dollars). Interesting that you mention solar billboards; there is a new article about them going up in Florida. http://www.floridatrend.com/article.asp?aID=93480704.5072836.628329.61551202.7175069.367&aID2=48324&mostread=true
Applications exist where solar as a distributed generation technology definitely works.
A reliable energy grid is expensive to build and in many respects fragile. In the US we are relying on some pretty old technology. One estimate suggests that by deploying smart grid technology nation-wide we could eliminate 10% of electricity demand through system optimization alone. In a nation that spends 300 billion dollars a year on electricity, that’s a nice number (the capital investment required to reap those benefits are on the order of 100 billion dollars).

]]> http://www.getsolar.com/blog/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/45/comment-page-1/#comment-23 Margaret Tue, 29 Jan 2008 18:43:10 +0000 http://getsolar.com/blog/2008/01/29/south-africas-traffic-lights-to-go-completely-solar/#comment-23 I think where it would make most sense to start fully implementing all kinds of municipal solar-powered gadgets (like these traffic lights, but also streetlights, trash compactors, maybe even electric street washers and trash collectors) would be in planned communities. I'm not a huge advocate of them in general, but the new breed of master planned communities--in which green spaces, schools, shopping, and business districts are included in the plans from the outset--might provide excellent testing ground. The cost of the technology could be built into the plans from the ground up, and their success could inspire neighboring, older communities to follow their lead. It's just one thought. Since the technology is around and proven--and long-term savings undeniable--I hardly think there's an excuse at this point for not using solar-powered alternatives where available. Some municipalities are catching on: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/florida_town_in.php http://www.gazette.net/stories/012408/laurnew132853_32362.shtml Also, it's good to see that Africa is looking at solar options domestically, as well as at the possibly lucrative future of exporting solar energy to Europe. I think where it would make most sense to start fully implementing all kinds of municipal solar-powered gadgets (like these traffic lights, but also streetlights, trash compactors, maybe even electric street washers and trash collectors) would be in planned communities. I’m not a huge advocate of them in general, but the new breed of master planned communities–in which green spaces, schools, shopping, and business districts are included in the plans from the outset–might provide excellent testing ground. The cost of the technology could be built into the plans from the ground up, and their success could inspire neighboring, older communities to follow their lead. It’s just one thought.
Since the technology is around and proven–and long-term savings undeniable–I hardly think there’s an excuse at this point for not using solar-powered alternatives where available. Some municipalities are catching on:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/florida_town_in.php
http://www.gazette.net/stories/012408/laurnew132853_32362.shtml
Also, it’s good to see that Africa is looking at solar options domestically, as well as at the possibly lucrative future of exporting solar energy to Europe.

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