City pilots Solar LED streetlights

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    Mobile, AL (WALA) — The City of Mobile installed its first use of solar-powered LED streetlights in Midtown as part a pilot program to test their feasibility.

Two new LED streetlights were installed on Upham Place in Mobile. The residents had requested streetlights over a year ago for their cul-de-sac.

Officials say, after consulting with Alabama Power to run power to these locations, the City Traffic Engineering Office, led by Jennifer White, determined traditional electric lights would have been cost-prohibitive. She considered a solar-powered option. The fixtures are in the open, which allows sunlight to charge the batteries.

New Orleans-based manufacturer Clear World Solar was selected to provide the decorative fixtures for this project. The design of these lights includes a unique 360-degree solar panel. The new lights come with a 10-year warranty, approximately twice that of traditional light fixtures.

James DeLapp, executive director of Public Works, talked with residents in the neighborhood who were delighted to see their neighborhood selected for this pilot project. Councilman Fred Richardson, who represents the District 1 neighborhood, described the project’s effects as outstanding.

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