Green Means Go: Solar Traffic Lights

Around the world, more and more traffic intersections are going solar. These are dramatic steps for pieces of equipment most of us curse at than appreciate. The most recent municipality to jump on the solar traffic light bandwagon is Cape Town, South Africa. To prevent vandalism there, solar panels will be placed atop 18-foot poles and surrounded by concrete casing ‘authorities contend would take a mini-limpet mine to open.’ Hopefully, South Africans won’t interpret that as a challenge.

While solar-powered traffic lights have functioned in Europe for years, their use seems particularly well suited to Africa. Even in Cape Town, the power grid sometimes teeters on a knife’s edge. Traffic jams due to blackouts aren’t any fun.

During initial testing in the southern suburb of Ottery, only four pairs of lights were used. Throughout the evaluation phase, the power grid was frustratingly trustworthy. Officials said they might have to cut the power on purpose to finally test the lights out. However, the results were such a “phenomenal success” that the National Energy Efficiency Agency (NEEA) now aims to roll them out at over a hundred intersections.

A good follow-up: Bike lanes? Hey, nothing beats traffic jams like less traffic. Baby steps. Baby steps.

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