Thanks to Covid-19, many of us find ourselves in curfew with little delay other than a morning pot or an evening stroll. In Goulburn, the locals can now more easily cycle on foot and by bike to the beneficial effects of a daily excursion thanks to what is known as Australia’s largest solar lighting system.
July 24, 2020
With the threat of a new lockdown or the upcoming cards for large parts of the nation facing many of us again, the prospect of just looking forward to just a lonely walk or pottery with our partner every day.
In fact, the Heart Foundation estimates that 30% of people walk more than usual thanks to the effects of the pandemic. It is for this reason that the Goulburn Mulwaree Council in New South Wales (NSW) installed what is believed to be the largest solar path lighting project in Australia.
After all, this time of year, when the sun seems to appear out of habit rather than from a good, long shift, is when the need for lighting along our walks is brightest. That is why the council has led Melbourne-based Leadsun to install 160 of its AE3C solar lights along 10km of the Wollondilly River Walking Track in Goulburn.
Leadsun, which owns a patent for the first “all-in-one LED solar light,” started the project a year ago, and managing director Matt Pollard said sports clubs, hiking groups and local residents are increasingly lobbying local governments to apply for grants for installing smart solar lighting to improve access and security.
The council used most of a federal sports and recreation grant of $ 500,000 to solar illuminate the stretch of river. While it has to be said one-on-one that solar public lighting is cheaper than your regular street lighting, in part because it doesn’t require a lot of digging or electrical wiring, but also because the energy is free from the sun and can be stored in lithium -Ion batteries for up to three days.
With just over 160 solar lights, Pollard is the largest solar path lighting project in Australia. Even fossil fuel enthusiasts like Federal Energy Secretary Angus Taylor, who would likely prefer Australia’s bush lanes lit by gas lamp burns, had to admit that the walkway in Goulburn was now safer and more accessible. “I’m thrilled that installing solar lighting will extend the useful life of the sidewalk,” said Taylor.
“There is a growing awareness that we can all do our part to reduce carbon emissions in a variety of smaller projects and in our individual lives,” Taylor continued, with a marked lack of ironic self-esteem. “Along with many of the residents of Goulburn, I enjoy running this route early in the morning or later in the afternoon. The lights will be a great addition to the course, especially in winter. “
Another resident of Goulburn is Daniel Strickland, a member of Mission Australia’s Man Walk group and a regular trotter of the route. He said the trail was much busier than before, especially before dawn and after dusk, than before, “we would come with our iPhones and our flashlights. “Unfortunately, Strickland did not mention that he had ever seen Energy Secretary Taylor walk the track with an outstretched gas lamp like Sherlock Holmes doing one of his deductive exercises along the Thames.
Due to the clear success and savings of the project, the council is now planning a further extension of the smart lighting project by 1.5 km. Leadsun, carry on.
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