Hillingdon Council is taking an innovative approach to reducing its carbon footprint while prioritising public safety.
The council has successfully trialled hybrid wind and solar-powered street lights at six locations across the borough, effectively illuminating areas without access to live electricity.
The newly introduced street lights utilise energy-efficient LED bulbs, consuming less power compared to traditional bulbs. The lights are powered by renewable energy sources: solar panels harness sunlight during the day, and the turbines mounted atop the light columns capture wind energy.
To ensure a continuous supply of power during periods of low sun or wind, the lights are equipped with built-in batteries capable of storing sufficient energy.
The initial installations of these environmentally friendly street lights took place at prominent locations such as the Civic Centre and St Andrew’s Roundabout in Uxbridge. Additional installations were carried out at the Grainges car park in Uxbridge, as well as the council housing estates in South Road, West Drayton, and Melrose Close, Hayes.
Buoyed by the success of the trial, Hillingdon Council plans to expand the deployment of these innovative lights. The next phase includes the installation of ten lights at the St Andrew’s housing estate in Uxbridge and another ten in the Minet County Park car park, located in Hayes.
Each street light column significantly reduces CO2 emissions and running costs when compared to traditional lighting solutions.
By utilising these self-powered street lights, the council eliminates the need to connect remote locations to the electricity grid, saving on expenses and reducing the environmental impact.
Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at Hillingdon Council, said: “These new street lights solve the issue of installing good lighting where there’s no electricity source, which is ideal for a borough like ours where there’s lots of open space.
They save the expense and environmental impact of having to connect remote locations to the electricity grid and being self-powered, don’t cost the council anything to run.”
Read more news from Harrow’s neighbouring boroughs here.
