ComEd off-grid, renewable streetlighting helps provide safe school passage
On Thursday, ComEd announced it is working with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) to install renewable, off-grid streetlighting for two schools on Chicago’s South Side.
The off-grid streetlights feature Remote Power Units – miniature power plants – that are not connected to the electric grid but draw energy from wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage. The streetlights are part of ComEd’s Bronzeville “Community of the Future,” which uses smart grid technology to help the community while developing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) interests in local students.
“In the spirit of our Community of the Future, this project is a true collaboration with ComEd, CPS, and members of the communities that ComEd is privileged to serve,” said Michelle Blaise, senior vice president of technical services, ComEd. “Our goal is to leverage the strengths of these partnerships to bolster sustainability, resiliency, and connectedness in our neighborhoods.”
Installation of five streetlights at Walter H. Dyett High School for the Arts in the Washington Park neighborhood, and two streetlights at Perspectives Academy Project in the Bronzeville neighborhood, began this week.
The streetlights feature auxiliary power sources that combine wind and solar power, battery storage, and a self-powered internet connection allowing the lights to be operated and monitored remotely. Because the streetlights use more reliable power, they help provide safe passage to students and local residents, the company said.
ComEd said it will work with the school administrators to develop a STEM curriculum based on the technology and operation involved with the streetlights to help teachers engage students in solar energy generation while demonstrating how off-grid solar and wind energy and battery systems are used in streetlights.
