Fonroche Lighting America Helps the City of Keene Illuminate the Future

KEENE, N.H., January 18, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The City of Keene is embracing a sustainable future. In 2019, the city set a goal to power all its electricity needs with renewable sources by 2030 and to achieve 100% renewable thermal and transportation energy by 2050. While these objectives extend to the entire community, Keene is leading by example through its municipal operations. Today, Keene is taking the transformation to the streets, installing a total of 26 Fonroche solar streetlights on Winchester Avenue and Roxbury Street.   

Keene’s Commitment

Since setting its renewable energy targets, Keene has translated commitment into action across various fronts. Initiatives include solar power generation at City Hall, geothermal-powered HVAC at the Public Works Department, biodiesel conversion for city vehicles, and hydroelectric turbines at the Water Treatment Plant. Keene’s recent solar street lighting projects are designed to evaluate the feasibility of converting the municipality's outdoor lighting to solar power. 

Winchester Renovation Project Overview

Winchester Street stands as a crucial gateway to the City of Keene. Recent upgrades involve repaving, the establishment of roundabouts at two intersections, and enhancements catering to pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicular traffic. Roundabouts, proven to enhance intersection safety, are made even safer with the incorporation of solar lighting.

The electrified streetlights on Winchester Street have now given way to autonomous solar street lighting from Fonroche Lighting America. Keene had previously installed two of these innovative lights on Roxbury Avenue in early 2023 as a precursor to the Winchester Street project.

Technology Highlights

In collaboration with McFarland Johnson, Keene employed the same lighting standards used for conventional lighting in the project's design. Beyond providing illumination, solar-powered lighting offers additional advantages. Firstly, they operate on 100% renewable energy. The installation of 26 street lights is expected to save Keene from using 91,000 kWh of electricity and offset more than 64 metric tons of CO2 over the anticipated 20-year lifespan of the project.

The SmartLight lighting system is designed for the challenging Northeastern climate, featuring advanced NIMH batteries with a service life of 10 years or more. This longevity significantly reduces maintenance requirements for the city. Moreover, the lights contribute to the city's resilience, remaining operational during utility outages and emergencies. The absence of underground cables also makes them immune to copper theft and malicious vandalism. 

City Engineer Donald Lussier perceives this project as an opportunity to assess the feasibility of further "unplugging" the city's outdoor lighting in alignment with Keene’s 100% renewable goal. His initial impression? "They look really good and seem to be working well."

This well-designed solar street lighting initiative not only brightens Keene's streets but also illuminates a path toward a more sustainable and resilient future.

Source: Fonroche Lighting America