Sustainability Partners, Sun ‘N Lake team up for solar streetlight installations
Chandler, Arizona-based renewable energy infrastructure company Sustainability Partners and the Sun ‘N Lake Improvement District have deployed 375 solar powered streetlights across Sun ‘N Lake’s service area in central Florida.
Located in Florida’s Highlands County, the LED lighting project “reflects the growing adoption of modern solar street lighting as a practical, cost-effective solution for improving roadway safety,” according to Sustainability Partners. Representatives add that the streetlight service also avoids most of the costs and disruptions brought about by more traditional, grid-connected lighting options.
“The conversation around solar street lighting has changed dramatically,” says Sustainability Partners infrastructure partner Michael Tari. “Modern solar lighting technology has reached the point where it can serve as a practical solution for many public roadways and pedestrian areas. Communities no longer have to accept long construction schedules, utility coordination, and significant infrastructure costs as the only path to improving nighttime safety.”
Advancements in solar panel efficiency, as well as energy storage and lighting technology have made solar streetlights not only feasible, but more affordable. Over the past decade, the technology has gone from a niche solution to a widespread trend in the solar industry. Now, Sustainability Partners aims to use its “Infrastructure as a Service” method to light roadways, trails, parks, campuses, and a slew of other public spaces in the near future.
Infrastructure as a service
The Sustainability Partners model aims to deliver a turnkey solution to solar street lighting, according to officials, that comes with zero upfront capital. The service includes system design, funding, procurement, installation, performance monitoring, and preventative maintenance, and does not require trenching or utility coordination of any kind.
This particular project was completed in multiple phases, Sustainability Partners says, allowing the district to expand its lighting improvements while also aligning strategy deployments. The project also builds on an ongoing relationship between the company and the Sun ‘N Lake service area, with the two having worked on a wastewater infrastructure project and water meter system in the past.
“Improving safety for our residents while responsibly managing taxpayer resources is always our priority,” says Sun ‘N Lake district manager Raymond “Boz” Bossert. “Solar Street Lighting as a Service allowed us to modernize lighting across the District without the hurdles that often delay infrastructure projects. It’s another example of how our partnership with Sustainability Partners continues to help us invest in the future of our community.”
The all in one solar project reflects a growing trend, according to Sustainability Partners. Companies and public entities want infrastructure modernization while also ensuring long-term operability.
Sustainability Partners is looking for further collaborators as solar streetlights and other renewable energy-focused infrastructure becomes a practical solution across the U.S.
