How Street Light Height Affects Energy Efficiency?

A street light installed at the right height saves energy and vice versa. But there is no one-line answer or explanation for how this happens. There are different ways through which height makes the difference in energy efficiency. So, let’s drill down and discuss each of those.

This is the critical way in which street light height affects energy efficiency. Light spread refers to an area illuminated by a light. A street light at a higher height can illuminate a large area. But if a light is installed too high, it becomes less intense due to more dissipation in the air. So, less intense light does not effectively illuminate the ground.

As a result, that area requires more streetlights, which consume more energy. On the flip side, if a light is installed too low, it produces intense light. This may enhance visibility but reduce coverage. Simply put, you will need more streetlights to cover the same area length. So, for better energy efficiency, consider beam angle and rod width for proper height. 

The height of the streetlights decides their power consumption. HOW? If a street light is mounted on a higher pole, it will illuminate a larger area, requiring more watts. For example, if a street light is 30 feet high, it will require a 300-watt bulb. This means more energy is consumed due to more watts.

But if a street light is at a lower height, it will require a low-watt bulb. For example, a street light 15 feet high requires only a 100-watt bulb. Low watts directly lower energy consumption. But you should remember that a streetlight of lower height covers less area. So, you will need more lights with fewer watts, which is also a drawback. 

Glare refers to excessive brightness from a light that affects visibility and causes discomfort. It is a common problem when a streetlight is installed at the wrong height. But how does glare affect energy efficiency? Glare causes eye discomfort instead of brightening roads, which means a wrongly placed street light with glare is just a waste of energy.

Moreover, glare also consumes more power, which affects energy efficiency. The wrong height of the streetlight also causes light pollution. Mainly, too-tall street lights cause this pollution. These lights dissipate most energy in the air before illuminating the roads. This negatively affects human health, wildlife, and waste energy.

Uniformity refers to the even distribution of light all around. However, a streetlight with the wrong height can cause an uneven light spread and waste energy. For instance, if a light is installed too high, it will create dark spots between poles. These dark spots dim the illuminations and affect visibility. To remove such dark spots, you must install more light, which consumes more energy.

On the other hand, if a street light is at a lower height, it will illuminate a small area. This means that the area under the pole will be too bright, and the areas farther away will be dark. This patchy effect often creates shadows, which decrease visibility. You will need more lights to remove this effect, directly increasing energy consumption. 

Spacing between poles directly impacts the distribution of light. The proper spacing distributes even light and saves energy, and vice versa. Moreover, spacing between poles is also directly related to height. For example, a taller streetlight covers a large area. This means you can install poles far from one another, which reduces the total number of lights and saves energy.

But remember, if taller streetlights are too far apart, they create dark spots. These dark spots affect visibility and increase safety risks. On the other hand, shorter street lights cover less area. So, the spacing between poles should be less to produce enough brightness. Less spacing directly increases the need for more lights, increasing energy consumption. 

The proper height of a streetlight improves its life span, directly improving energy efficiency. HOW? If a light is installed too low, it is more prone to weather-related wear and tear. Hence, you need to replace it frequently with a new one, which reduces the energy resource used in manufacturing.

Moreover, a light with the wrong height does not distribute light evenly. This increases the need for more streetlights, which increases energy consumption. Lastly, a wrongly installed light increases heat buildup, reducing lifespan. A lower life span means frequent repair, which increases energy use for maintenance operations. 

Yes! Street light poles highly influence the lightning output. These poles determine how evenly light is distributed. They influence the light input by height, material and design, and spacing. Let’s discuss each factor briefly.

The correct height of the poles increases the light output and ensures that light is distributed evenly. A tall pole mainly spreads the light to a large area, reducing the need for new lights and saving energy. 

But remember, if a pole is too high, it does not illuminate the air properly and affects visibility. On the flip side, a shorter pole spreads the light to the small area, mainly brightening the space beneath the pole. This creates dark shadows between the poles, increasing the need for new poles and lights.

The material and design of the pole also influence the lighting output. They determine how effectively the pole can support the lighting system. Poles come in two types of material: metal poles and fiberglass or concrete poles. Metal poles are more durable and strong and hold heavy light fixtures, increasing efficiency. However, fiberglass and concrete poles are more corrosion-resistant.

They can withstand harsh weather and stay stable, avoiding flickering and increasing light output. Moreover, the shape of the poles also influences lighting input. For example, straight poles distribute light more evenly and cover a large area. However, curved poles are designed to spread light in specific congested regions. Hence, they improve targeted illumination.

The distance between poles is called pole spacing. It is the most critical factor influencing lighting input. A correct and measured space between poles improves the lighting effect. However, if poles are too close, they create glare, which causes discomfort and wastes energy. Conversely, if the poles are too far, they produce dark spots between lights and affect visibility.

Ideally, the distance between two streetlights should be 3 times the height of the pole. With this distance, streetlights spread even brightness and do not produce glare. However, before installation, you should also consider intensity, speed of travel, and density.

Not all the street lights are energy efficient. It mainly depends on their types. For example, LED streetlights are 90% more efficient than ordinary lights.

The height of street light poles varies with location and usage. The maximum height of different streetlight poles include:

• Residential street light poles: 6 meters
• Urban roads and highways street light poles:  15 meters
• High-must streetlight poles: 50 meters
• Smart streetlight poles: 12 meters

Streetlights are widely used modern inventions. They can be found in parks, stadiums, and roadsides. However, the height of streetlights varies in all these places. This is because the height of the streetlight affects energy efficiency. For example, if a light is installed too high, it will decrease illumination. 

As a result, the need for more lights increases, enhancing energy consumption. On the flip side, if the height of the streetlight is too low, it will cause glare. Glare is just a waste of excessive light, directly decreasing energy efficiency. Lastly, spacing between poles, uniformity, and also affect energy efficiency along with height.