A Cambridge-based electronics engineering firm has developed a system for the remote monitoring of streetlights with the potential to help local authorities reduce their CO2 emissions.
The new system, developed by a firm called Telensa, employs proprietary ultra narrow band (UNB) wireless telemetry technology to remotely control, monitor and meter large groups of streetlights so they can be managed with maximum energy efficiency. For example, councils may decide to dim or turn off streetlights during periods of the night but lack the means to do remotely. The Telensa system will also help councils to maintain the lights. Currently, most streelights are manually checked to see if they are working every two to four weeks, Telensa director Tim Jackson said.
He said the company’s technology had first been employed in tracking system for stolen vehicles. “UNB technology is suitable for high volume applications where the amount of data being sent is limited,” he said. “There’s only so much you need to know about a streetlight.” Telensa’s system can be retrofitted to existing lights, but the company also hopes to exploit the market for the deployment of new streetlights. “Two thirds of the seven million streetlights in the UK will ultimately be replaced,” Jackson said. He added that the system had been trialled extensively “but large scale adoption of the technology is only just beginning, and that’s been spurred by the rise in concern about energy efficiency.”
Telensa expects to produce “several hundred thousands” UNB units for streetlights this year, Jackson said.
© PE Publishing, 20 January 2010
