| Solar-Powered
Traffic Signal Systems
Introduction
The design of these systems depends on the number of lights
to be operated at a junction. A PV array of about 1 kWp capacity
would be required for a four-road junction, along with an
appropriately sized battery bank based on the site conditions.
This system does not require an inverter. In case of need,
the system can also work with conventional grid supply. The
system has programmable logic controllers for setting parameters
such as through time, peak time, on/off time, etc. Its features
include 'auto', 'on/off', and 'blink'.
Cost
The cost of a solar-powered lighting system depends on its
components, including PV array, battery bank, and electronic
controller. For a four-road junction, the cost would be about
Rs 6.40 lakhs. Such systems are presently being used in Bangalore,
Delhi, and other major cities in the country.
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Conventional
signal systems to control and regulate traffic are based on
incandescent lamps, and are powered by the normal city supply.
Failures in power supply often lead to chaos at traffic junctions.
These conventional systems can be replaced by solar-powered
traffic signalling systems, which use LEDs and work without
interruption during power failures. Switching to solar-powered
systems would help conserve large amounts of conventional
electrical power. Besides consuming much less power, LED-based
lights last much longer than conventional filament-based lamps.
Hence, routine maintenance costs would be reduced.