September 17, 2024
Cities Turn to Solar Streetlights Amid Copper Theft Challenges
Cities in California, Nevada and Kentucky explore solar streetlight solutions
As cities across the United States grapple with aging infrastructure and rising maintenance costs, more and more seem to be turning to solar-powered streetlights as a potential solution. San Bernardino, California, is among the latest to announce plans to install solar streetlights, aiming to address both energy efficiency and security concerns.
Jeff Kraus, a spokesperson for the city of San Bernardino, told NBC 4 Los Angeles in August that over 1,000 city streetlights are currently out of service due to copper wire theft. "It's a constant battle. No matter what safeguard we put in a street light, traffic light or anything with copper, wire thieves are one step ahead of us," Kraus said.
San Bernardino plans to implement its solar streetlight program with the help of a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Addressing Widespread Challenges
The problem isn't unique to San Bernardino. In Los Angeles, the Bureau of Street Lighting reported 25,890 non-functioning streetlights out of 223,000 total, as of May 2024, according to an NBC4 I-Team investigation. The bureau cited vandalism and copper wire theft as major contributors to the outages. LAist reports that copper wire theft has cost the city over $20 million in repairs in the past year alone.
The challenges facing Los Angeles' streetlight infrastructure are significant, as highlighted by Miguel Sangalang, Director of Los Angeles’ Bureau of Street Lighting. In an interview with the NBC4 I-Team, Sangalang revealed that the city needs approximately 100 additional workers to address the backlog of repair requests. "We are not satisfied" with a one-year wait time for repairs, Sangalang stated, underscoring the severity of the situation.
In response to these challenges, the city has launched a pilot program introducing solar-powered streetlights. Starting with 104 units in Van Nuys, one of the areas most affected by copper wire crimes, the program aims to expand to 900 solar streetlights across Los Angeles by July 2025. While the solar systems are significantly more expensive upfront—costing between $3,000 to $5,000 each, compared to traditional lights—Sangalang told LAist that the savings come from reduced deployment of repair crews. "In the case of theft and vandalism, one streetlight only really takes us two deployments, so if we have to go back there twice, it already paid for themselves," he explained.
The Solar Solution
Solar streetlights operate independently of the electrical grid, potentially eliminating the need for copper wiring. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reports that solar panels typically degrade at a rate of about 0.5% per year, meaning they can continue to produce electricity at 90% of their original output after 20 years.
However, these systems are not maintenance-free. Batteries used in solar streetlights generally require replacement every 5-10 years. Additionally, solar panels need periodic cleaning and inspection to maintain optimal performance, especially in areas with high pollution or dust levels.
Lisa Hiebert, a spokesperson for the St. Paul Department of Public Works, told KSTP-TV in March that she is hesitant to use solar solutions, citing challenges like inconsistent power supply. The city has been dealing with severe streetlight vandalism, including frequent copper wire theft, leading to costly repairs and ongoing disruptions.
Community Impact
Residents have expressed concerns about safety following the disabling of electric streetlights due to copper theft. "It's scary sometimes leaving the business. Leaving our business in the dark is more scary," Mark Romero, owner of the Barbers Club in downtown San Bernardino, told NBC 4 Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, Estela Lopez, who runs the Downtown LA Industrial District, reported to the NBC4 I-Team that 40 percent of the streetlights in her area are out. "These dark streets are perfect, God forbid, to attack someone or to rob someone," Lopez said.
Community stakeholders should be aware that solar streetlights may not be ideal for all applications. Shading from trees, buildings, or other structures can reduce the efficiency of solar panels, while extended periods of cloudy or rainy weather may limit lighting performance. This could result in solar streetlights not meeting brightness standards and inconsistent illumination throughout the night or during certain seasons, depending on battery charge and weather conditions.
More Pilot Programs in Las Vegas and Kentucky
New solar-powered streetlights were recently installed in a Las Vegas neighborhood to address rising copper wire thefts, according to KSNV News 3 Las Vegas. Public works crews replaced older poles with 12 solar streetlights as part of a pilot program in the east valley. Clark County reports that nearly 1 million feet of copper wire have been stolen since 2022, costing over $1 million.
Meanwhile in the Bluegrass State, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) is piloting solar-powered highway lighting at two Louisville on-ramps. Morgan Woodrum of KYTC told Spectrum News 1 in September, "We are hoping to deter theft while also restoring lighting at these interchanges."
KYTC reports that since 2020, thefts along Kentucky highways have caused $1 million in damages while creating more dangerous driving conditions, according to the same Spectrum News 1 report.
As cities continue to explore solar streetlights, the long-term effectiveness and economic viability of these systems remain to be seen. The University of Louisville will be conducting a research project to assess the effectiveness of solar-powered highway lighting in conjunction with the KYTC pilot program potentially providing valuable data for other cities considering similar initiatives.
