All industries and business sectors are trying to reduce their carbon footprints. Significant awareness in sustainability factors and government push in this regard has prompted many businesses, particularly the energy-intensive ones like construction, infrastructure development, mining, etc, to shift to renewable sources for their energy and operational needs. This means wherever fossil fuels are required, these industries are replacing them with biodiesel and solar energy. One such shift is regarding lighting towers—from diesel-operated to solar-powered lighting towers.
Operational activities for many industries and business sectors require portable lighting equipment. For instance, mining excavations are carried out deep inside the mines where natural solar light may not reach, even in the day, and construction work is also carried in at night. For such activities, businesses need lighting towers. These portable lighting towers provide optimal lighting (illumination) to carry out operational activities at worksites. Lighting towers run on diesel, grid, or solar energy. As businesses are environment-conscious, there is a growing preference for solar-powered lighting towers.
These towers are creating sustainable alternatives for construction sites, railway yard works, mining operations, and other industrial worksite spaces.
What is a Renewable Energy Lighting Tower?
Cutting-edge solar technology has paved the way for standard, precision-engineered, and sophisticated solar towers that provide optimal illumination for worksites, even at the most remote locations.
Renewable energy lighting towers are sustainable portable light sources that also come with other features such as:
- Orientation capabilities for optimal sun exposure
- Bifacial Panels that capture both direct and reflected light
- Reliable illumination (From 10 hours to 100 hours)
- Sophisticated LED lights (100 watts to 200 watts)
- Light Coverage (2000 Square Yards to up to 4000 Square Yards)
For instance, Olikara’s QUBEsolar, a solar-powered lighting tower, features two 550W monocrystalline bifacial solar panels (totaling 1100W) coupled with a robust 10.8 kWh battery pack. This powerful combination enables the tower to run 400W of LED lights for over 10 hours on a single day’s solar charge.
For situations requiring extended runtime or backup power during periods of limited sunlight, hybrid lighting towers offer the perfect solution. For instance, the QUBEpower Max Hybrid from Olikara represents this category. It incorporates both solar technology and a diesel generator. With a substantial 7.2 kWh battery pack and a 60-liter diesel capacity, this tower delivers reliable illumination for up to 100 hours, making it ideal for mining operations, oil drilling sites, and large infrastructure projects where continuous lighting is critical.
Solar Light Towers: A Sustainable Worksite Alternative for Lighting Needs
Railway Yards
Railway maintenance and construction often occur during night hours to minimize disruption to regular train services. Solar light towers provide essential illumination for track replacement, signal maintenance, and yard operations without the noise or air pollution associated with diesel light towers. With extending masts that can reach up to 23 feet and coverage areas of approximately 2000 sqm, these solutions are suitable for railway site work and daily maintenance activities. Solar light towers’ zero-emission operation aligns perfectly with the growing sustainability initiatives.
Mining Sites
Mining operations face unique lighting challenges, often requiring powerful illumination in remote locations with limited or no grid connectivity. Solar-powered lighting towers deliver reliable performance. These towers also reduce logistical burden. How? You don’t need to carry the fuel for running diesel-powered light towers.
Pro tip: For mining sites, hybrid renewable light towers are a better option. Hybrid models have solar-powered light towers, plus a diesel engine. During cloudy weather, or deep excavation works where it’s not possible to take light towers back again for solar exposure to recharge the battery, a diesel engine will ensure unhindered operations.
Oil Drilling Sites
Oil drilling locations require durable light towers that can operate in extreme conditions. As oil sites are extremely dangerous, solar lighting towers remove the first hazard—fire hazards linked to diesel-powered generators. No combustible engine means no fear of diesel diesel-related fire incident. Also, sturdy, built light towers can take vibrations and shocks that are natural at drilling sites. Solar light towers are less noisy than diesel alternatives. Their silent operation also improves communication and reduces noise fatigue among workers during extended shifts.
Infrastructure Projects
Major infrastructure construction, such as roadways, bridges, and dams, needs adaptable lighting systems that can be relocated (portability) as construction advances. Solar light towers are easy to transport as they don’t need to carry fuel for daily operations. Also, there are sites so remote that fuel availability may be a big issue. In such scenarios, solar towers provide construction workers with clear visibility, which is required in infrastructure development.
Remote Area Lighting and Security
Many assets of big industries like telecommunication, power grid, etc., for various secretive projects are located in remote areas. For securing these sites or carrying out work activities, solar tower sites are a sustainable alternative. Also, solar lighting towers eliminate the need for regular refueling trips. These towers provide reliable security lighting for these remote area offices or substations.
City Works
Urban infrastructure maintenance and construction projects need to work in silence and optimal lighting conditions, Many urban development works are carried out at night for minimal disturbance to traffic and the city residents. With noise and pollution being two major issues in cities (especially the metros and densely populated cities), solar light towers are the ideal choice for providing lighting for city works. Solar light towers won’t further add to urban pollution. Their zero-emission operations support stringent environmental regulations and sustainability goals.
Also Read: Boosting Safety & Productivity: The Role of Portable Lighting Towers in Construction
Things to Consider when Choosing Sustainable Lighting Towers for Worksites
When selecting renewable lighting solutions for your worksites, consider the following 5 most critical factors:
- Light coverage area (how much area needs to be properly lit)
- How long do you want to run the light? This will help in deciding battery needs or whether you need medium or higher models of solar lighting towers.
- Mobility features that make the lighting towers easier to carry, like pneumatic tires, leaf spring suspension, and multiple towing options, etc.
- Whether the solar light tower is sturdy enough to bear vibrations, winds of speeds up to 100 km per hour, and shocks
- Go for a hybrid (diesel solar variant) model if solar light at your worksite is limited and not enough to continuously charge the solar light tower.
Future of Renewable Lighting Towers
Renewable energy lighting towers have a bright future in worksite illumination. Modern solar towers with bifacial panels can illuminate up to 4000 square yards using LED technology, providing up to 100 hours of reliable operation. Therefore, replacing diesel-powered lighting towers with solar-powered ones makes sense.
Also, for better and risk-free operations, businesses can go with the hybrid models. Hybrid models combining solar with diesel generators offer uninterrupted lighting for continuous operations in mining and construction. These systems deliver extended runtimes during low sunlight while maintaining reduced environmental impact.
Future developments will focus on improved mobility, durability, and versatility. Advancing battery technology will enable longer runtimes and smaller footprints. Smart features like remote monitoring and predictive maintenance will enhance reliability. The integration of renewable lighting towers with sustainable construction practices will further create synergistic benefits.
Conclusion
The transition to renewable energy lighting towers is the smart decision that industries and businesses with worksite operations requirements can make. Not only can they get their worksites illuminated for optimal lighting conditions, but also reduce the environmental impact.
For forward-thinking companies committed to sustainable operations can choose to go with solar light towers without a second thought.
Olikara Lighting Towers leads the industry with innovative solar and hybrid lighting tower equipment engineered specifically for demanding industrial applications. Our QUBEsolar and QUBEpower Max Hybrid towers deliver robust performance while drastically reducing environmental impact and operational costs.
Our team of specialists can help you identify the perfect renewable lighting solution for your specific worksite requirements.
Experience the future of worksite illumination today. Contact us at +91-9158492000 or email olt@lightingtowers.in.
