Quick answer
A smart street lighting solution for an industrial park begins with a lighting and operating brief for each zone. Design the photometry, power supply and controls together, then verify the selected equipment. A logistics road, loading yard and pedestrian route should not automatically share pole spacing, optics or a dimming schedule.
1. Map the zones and operating conditions
| Zone | Information to collect | Design focus |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle routes and junctions | Road geometry, traffic, conflict areas and applicable lighting class | Required luminance or illuminance, uniformity and glare |
| Loading and work areas | Working hours, tasks, vehicles and obstructions | Task visibility and safe transitions between zones |
| Perimeter and entrances | Security brief and any camera requirements | Visibility, vertical light where required and defined fault operation |
| Pedestrian routes | Use pattern, crossings and neighbouring properties | Comfort, accessibility and control of spill light |
Document trees, buildings, underground utilities, dust, corrosion exposure, temperatures and maintenance access. The responsible designer should choose the applicable local requirements before assigning targets. If camera lighting is part of the brief, confirm it with the security designer rather than assuming road illuminance alone is sufficient.
2. Verify the lighting layout
Obtain IES or LDT for the quoted luminaire, optics and drive setting. Model road width, mounting height, outreach, tilt, surface assumptions and maintenance factor. Compare layouts using the required performance criteria. DIALux street-lighting tools can support this process, but a product wattage or a height-to-spacing ratio does not replace the calculation.
Check each permitted dimming state and the junctions between lighting zones. Keep the calculation file, input data and report as part of the design submission.
3. Select the power architecture
Compare existing grid capacity with the cost and practicality of solar storage and PV. Off-grid continuous operation is possible only if the complete energy system is sized for the load and weather; it should not be rejected or promised by a blanket rule. Heavy or continuous loads can make grid or hybrid power more practical, while an unconnected, lightly loaded route may suit solar.
4. Example: calculate nightly Wh before battery Ah
Assume a luminaire draws 60 W for four hours and 24 W for six hours, with 8 Wh of auxiliary consumption per night. Nightly energy is 60 × 4 + 24 × 6 + 8 = 392 Wh. These are teaching assumptions, and the reduced level must still meet the project’s lighting requirement.
Three nights require 1,176 Wh delivered to the load. With assumed allowable discharge of 80% and power-path efficiency of 90%, nominal battery energy must be at least 1,176 ÷ (0.80 × 0.90) ≈ 1,633 Wh before temperature, ageing and other reserves. A 12.8 V, 100 Ah pack has 1,280 Wh nominal and only 921.6 Wh under those same assumptions, so it does not meet this example.
At an assumed two effective winter sun hours and 70% PV-to-load-equivalent yield, replacing 392 Wh daily requires 392 ÷ (2 × 0.70) = 280 Wp as a first energy screen. Recovering a depleted reserve requires additional generation. Use site-specific weather and losses for the actual design; these figures are not a product configuration recommendation.
5. Define controls and acceptance
Specify groups, schedules, occupancy response, local override, fault alerts and access permissions. Verify coverage, driver compatibility, gateway capacity and any recurring service fees. Test what happens when communications or a sensor fails; the fallback should meet the agreed lighting and safety brief rather than leave behaviour undefined.
The acceptance plan should cover photometry, energy, cold or hot operation where relevant, commissioning records and platform functions. Confirm model-specific capabilities through the smart pole range and technical documentation centre. Use the separate smart park guide when ecological and visitor-use requirements dominate.
Frequently asked questions
Can one lighting specification cover every industrial park zone?
It should not be assumed. Vehicle routes, loading yards, entrances and pedestrian areas have different tasks and operating conditions. Define and verify requirements for each zone.
How should battery capacity be calculated?
Calculate the programmed nightly Wh including auxiliaries, multiply by the required reserve period, and account for allowable discharge, efficiency, temperature and ageing. Convert Wh to Ah using the actual battery voltage.
Is continuous off-grid operation impossible?
No, but it requires a complete energy system sized for the continuous load and weather. Compare its practical requirements with grid and hybrid options rather than making a blanket promise or rejection.
Discuss your project
Send the location, layout, lighting schedule and required documentation to sales@mclsolar.com. Ask for the proposed configuration, available model evidence and written commercial terms.