The statement of your needs, an important prerequisite to a tailor-made autonomous lighting solution by Novéa Energies

Novéa Energies is committed to propose the most suitable solution for the service users, respecting the environment. This is why every project without any exception, starts with the definition of client’s needs, with a Novea’s expert. Find below the essential criteria to keep in mind before any solar lighting development.

Lighting needs

It’s important to begin the reflection by defining the needs. First, what do I want to light? We don’t illuminate the same way a residential area, a road, a car park, a bus stop or a bicycle path. Every application will involve a different way to light. For example, places accessible for People with Reduced Mobility are regulated on their lighting.

Once you have defined the application, you must specify the related surface. A car park of 300 places will obviously need more solar streetlamps than a car park of 12 places. Same for a pedestrian path of 6m-length compared to another of 15m-length. Ideally, it would be necessary to provide a plan of the area, because the shape of it can influence on the location of autonomous lamppost and the choice of the LED optics.

Finally, you need to set the lighting level you want, measured by lux. Referring to the norm EN13201, we can classify the needs this way :

This lighting level will be respected by the solar lamppost of Novéa Energies all over the year, with the same level of service.

Expected use of solar streetlamp

Once the project is broadly defined, you must look to the future to set user needs, to propose thus a pertinent lighting scenario. If we take the example of a bus stop, we can rely on bus hours, and suggest a switch-off during useless hours. This will save an important amount of energy. For other applications (pedestrian path, bicycle path, car park…), an operating at 100% of power only when someone is detected will be encouraged, to secure the area during the night. This way, we can adapt the programming with 100% of power, dimming mode or detection.

This step is essential because it provides important environmental and financial savings. Ecological first, because it allows to have a well-reasoned use of resources and a lighting respectful of biodiversity as it won’t operate at 100% of power all night without a real necessity. The financial interest is also very important, because a well-argued scenario can enable you to opt for a solar streetlamp with a sizing more sensible, more compact so more economical.

Let’s take an example. We set our lighting needs: a car park of 25 x 6 m with 10 lux average of lighting level. Let’s see now how two different scenarios can influence on the choice of the technical solution:

Therefore, it’s very important to take time to define a lighting scenario, by combining 100% of power and dimming mode, and not to hesitate to rely on the presence detector.

Area specific conditions

To meet the required lighting needs with the defined programming, it’s essential to identify beforehand any specificities of the geographical area of the installation, to analyse the solar potential and anticipate what could interfere with the solar panel : buildings, vegetation… . This way, the solar lamppost will be adapted to the area sunshine and located according to those characteristics. Once again, the safest way is to provide a plan and pictures of the area to light.

Thanks to these three criteria, you can define your solar lighting project efficiently. Then, Novéa Energies will be able to realise the three complementary studies to choose the solution:

• Photometric to optimise the amount of lighting points and to respect the applicable recommendations and norms (EN13201, Decree of 27/12/2018 about luminous pollution)
• Energy to respect the required lighting programming thanks to a good sizing of the solar panel and the energy capacity of the battery
• Mechanical to realise design calculations referring to EN40 and integrating the fatigue according to the 1991-1-4 part 2

Thanks to this project approach, consolidate with an in-depth technical know-how, Novéa Energies can propose intelligent and sustainable solutions, which respect the environment.

You want to start to define your project? Discover our online questionnaire.