Solar Pathway Operating Assessment for Public Park Lighting-II

The development of solar roads to convert solar insolation on vast stretches of roadway in order to generate electricity, on surfaces otherwise dedicated solely transportation to electrical energy, is in its promising stage. The focus of this study is on gaining experience of the real-world operating characteristics of solar pathway systems. A variety of measurements were made to gather information on the solar insolation, and the operating temperature and energy yield. This paper presents the modelling and simulation of a stand-alone solar pathway (SSP) for public park lighting. The model is composed of a photovoltaic (PV) array, a DC-DC converter, charge controller, and batteries connected to the load. An SSP for public park lighting system, completely independent of the power grid, is designed and operated. In this study, a 65 m stretch of walkway, located on Bellville Campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, South Africa was selected as a case study to study performance analysis of a stand-alone solar pathway system to power public lighting. The SSP system to supply public lighting on the Bellville Campus of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology was executed by computer program; this program was written using MATLAB software. The operating efficiency of a solar pathway was evaluated by different quantities. The computer program used, can be applied to any site with different weather conditions.