Impact of Pole Height and Lamp Power on the Performance of Solar-LED Street Lighting Systems

This paper focuses on optimizing solar-LED street lighting systems for roads classified under Malaysia's ME2 lighting standard, with the aim of identifying the best combination of pole height and LED lamp power to ensure efficient lighting, excellent visibility, and low energy consumption. Through DIALux software simulations, various configurations were tested, including 8-meter and 10-meter poles paired with 60W, 80W, and 120W LED lamps. The results showed that an 8-meter pole with an 80W LED lamp offers the best balance, achieving an average illuminance of 48 Lux near the poles, with an overall uniformity of 0.5% and longitudinal uniformity of 0.54%, which are crucial for consistent light distribution. This setup also demonstrated cost-effectiveness with an energy consumption of 320 kWh per year, making it ideal for urban and suburban areas with moderate to high traffic. In comparison, higher wattages or taller poles, such as a 120W LED on a 10-meter pole, provided increased brightness but led to reduced uniformity and higher energy costs, with power density rising from 0.017 to 0.020 W/lx-m². This research provides useful information for urban planners and engineers who seek to install efficient and effective solar-LED street lighting systems, thus contributing to sustainable urban growth.