Ann Arbor's newest streetlight is one of those things that make normal people turn their heads and say, 'What the hell?'
The city recently installed a new streetlight at the Packard Road entrance to Buhr Park that is entirely self-sufficient on wind and solar energy. The device is catching local attention with its built-in solar panels and wind turbine set atop the pole.
The off-the-grid light is the product of a partnership between the city and the University of Michigan’s Sustainable Design Research Laboratory. It was installed at the Buhr Park entrance because the city needed more light there and because it would be visible to the public driving past the 39-acre park on the city's east side.
The turbine and solar panels charge batteries that feed energy to the induction light at night. The light has no electrodes or electrical connections to the lamp because the power is transferred via electromagnetic fields. The light has a very long life expectancy, and is expected to last 22 years.
The self-sustaining streetlight boasts a 400-watt wind generator and two 50-watt solar panels used to charge two 12-volt batteries with 100 amp-hours of storage. The induction light uses 70 watts of electricity at 24 volts.
Source: Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke
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