Solar lighting is on the road to sustainable development

Solar energy plays an important role in combating climate change.

Although the global power supply has been growing, there are still 940 million people without access to the Internet. Solar energy technology can help more people obtain cheap, portable and clean energy, thereby alleviating poverty and improving the quality of life.

But it can also enable developed countries and the largest fossil fuel consumers to transition to sustainable alternatives.

Signify, who used to be Philips Lighting, noticed the need for innovative new methods to increase electricity consumption while reducing energy consumption, and is leading the development of solar lights.

In India, the company launched Philips LifeLight, a portable solar lantern designed specifically for areas with limited power supply.

Prajna Khanna, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Signify, said: “Insufficient lighting after dark is the biggest factor that causes women to feel unsafe in the community.”

"Introducing LifeLight into off-grid areas is helping to change the lives of people in these communities. It extends their time in business activities, education and community life," she added.

Approximately 84,000 solar street lights have been installed in the country, further helping local residents feel safer and more connected.

By 2050 (the world must remain climate neutral), more infrastructure will be built for another 2 billion people.

Now is the time for emerging economies to jump out of smarter technologies, bypass carbon-intensive options, and find more reliable zero-carbon energy.

Improve life

In the state of Haryana, Northern India, Signify recently partnered with the SRF Foundation (a non-governmental organization advocating quality education) to provide young people with the means to exercise.

In the first phase, the project uses high-mast solar LEDs to illuminate five badminton courts. This allowed 1,200 schoolchildren to rest at noon before the start of the project to practice badminton, thus improving their physical health, self-confidence and athletic ability.

In addition to long-term projects, solar energy is an effective lighting solution that can meet immediate needs and emergency relief.

BRAC, the world's largest non-governmental organization, partnered with Signify to distribute LifeLight solar lights to more than 46,000 Rohingya families in Bangladesh refugee camps-this will help improve the quality of life by meeting basic needs.

Asif Saleh, Senior Director of Strategy, said: "These clean solar lights will make the camp safer at night. Therefore, they are a great help for the lives of people living in unimaginable difficulties. Made a much-needed contribution", communication and authorization between BRAC and BRAC International.

If the skills required to maintain these technologies are provided, lighting will only have a long-term positive impact on the community. Therefore, the Signify Foundation provides technical training for members of remote communities and helps companies develop to encourage the sustainable development of green companies.

Development of technology

The northern part of the world should also encourage the use of solar lighting.

In Seville, Spain, Signify has installed 20 solar street lights in response to the increase in visitors to the park at night.

The Philips SunStay illuminator consists of a photovoltaic panel, a charge controller, a battery and an LED light, and is installed in a compact housing unit, easy to install and maintain-no cables of any kind are required, and the unit does not need nor A power connection is required.

Motion sensors can detect movement and increase or decrease the intensity of light accordingly, thereby improving energy efficiency, which is an important tool to deal with climate change.

Recently, Signify has been experimenting with hybrid solar systems.

The Philips Combo charge controller can use clean solar energy to power street lights and access the mains grid when the battery is exhausted.

This makes hybrid vehicles a viable option in high-latitude countries, where sunshine may be less reliable, and sunshine is more dependent on the season.

In the end, the paradigm shifted. Solar energy is no longer attributed only to places where existing infrastructure is scarce, but is regarded as an important part of the global energy structure-alternatives are becoming the new norm.