SOLAR TODO delivered an 82-unit Solar Streetlight (Split-Type) deployment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, designed for continuous dusk-to-dawn operation and resilient performance under local heat and intermittent cloud cover. The system uses a split architecture—SEPARATE monocrystalline solar panel and a separate LED light head—connected by visible wiring to an MPPT charge controller, with an LFP/NCM battery solution housed inside the pole base compartment for protected, long-life energy storage.
Answer Capsule: In Jeddah, SOLAR TODO installed 82 split-type solar streetlights with a 340W Mono TOPCon panel, 30W LED, motion/dimming control, and 3–5 days cloudy backup—meeting IEC product standards.
Project Overview: Why Jeddah Needed a Split-Type Streetlight Network
Jeddah’s road environment presents a practical combination of challenges for public lighting: long stretches of roadway that require consistent illumination, high ambient temperatures that can stress electrical and battery components, and variability in solar conditions during periodic cloud events. Municipal maintenance teams also need lighting assets that are straightforward to inspect, service, and replace when individual components fail—without replacing an entire all-in-one unit.
SOLAR TODO’s Solar Streetlight (Split-Type) approach directly addresses these issues. Instead of using an integrated “all-in-one” body where panel, controller, battery, and LED are bundled into one assembly, the split design keeps the SEPARATE Mono TOPCon solar panel on a tilted bracket at the pole top and the SEPARATE LED light head on a side arm. This enables targeted servicing (panel, LED head, or battery compartment components) and improves reliability in the field—especially important when crews must manage many sites across a city.
In this project, 82 units were deployed along a roadway segment designed for 5 m road width and 27 m spacing between poles, ensuring uniform coverage without over-concentration of fixtures. The installation location is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (Latitude 21.49, Longitude 39.19), within a tropical climate zone where the design basis assumes approximately 5.5 hours of sun.
Product Architecture: Split-Type Design Built for Serviceability
The SOLAR TODO Solar Streetlight (Split-Type) is built around a modular, pole-based power and lighting chain:
- Solar energy capture using a separate monocrystalline panel mounted at the pole top.
- Energy management through an MPPT charge controller.
- Energy storage in a protected battery compartment inside the pole base compartment.
- Lighting output via a separate LED light head on a side arm, controlled dusk-to-dawn and optimized with motion/dimming logic.
Pole and Structural Reliability
Each unit uses a 9m hot-dip galvanized steel pole engineered for long service life and wind exposure. The pole is designed for wind resist 45 m/s and a 25-year life, using corrosion-resistant hot-dip galvanization to support deployment in a coastal, high-salt environment typical of Jeddah.
Solar Panel Module (Separate Component)
At the pole top, a SEPARATE Mono TOPCon 340W panel is mounted on a tilted bracket. The panel characteristics are optimized for high efficiency and long-term stability:
- 23% efficiency
- 0.3%/yr degradation
- 30-year warranty
The separation of the panel from the LED head and battery compartment is a key service advantage: if panel performance declines, it can be addressed independently without disturbing the LED head assembly or battery compartment.
MPPT Charge Controller and Dusk-to-Dawn Control
An MPPT charge controller manages charging behavior to match the panel output to the battery system. The streetlight supports dusk-to-dawn auto operation, ensuring lighting begins and ends automatically without manual scheduling.
Battery Storage in Pole Base Compartment
Energy storage is provided by an NCM Lithium battery 12V/80Ah installed inside the pole base compartment. This placement protects the battery from direct weather exposure and supports safer maintenance access.
Key battery parameters for reliability and life-cycle expectations:
- 250Wh/kg
- 2000 cycles
- 85% DoD (depth of discharge)
- Operating range -10~45°C
- 5-year warranty
The project design also targets 3–5 days cloudy weather backup, ensuring the lights remain functional during multi-day periods of reduced solar generation.
LED Light Head Output and Smart Energy Saving
Lighting output is provided by a SEPARATE LED 30W/4500lm head:
- 150 lm/W efficacy
- CRI > 70 for better color rendering on road surfaces and pedestrian areas
The luminaires include smart controls to reduce energy consumption while maintaining safety:
- Motion sensor enabling 30% energy saving when motion conditions are detected
- Dimming control enabling 15% saving
These controls are particularly valuable for roads where traffic patterns vary by time of day, allowing the system to reduce output during low-use intervals without turning off illumination entirely.
Deployment Design in Jeddah: Coverage, Spacing, and Cloud Resilience
The deployment was engineered for consistent coverage using 27 m spacing across a 5 m road width corridor. With 82 units, the layout supports an even lighting rhythm along the roadway, reducing dark gaps and improving driver and pedestrian visibility.
Because Jeddah experiences tropical conditions and occasional cloud events, the system was configured for 3–5 days cloudy weather backup. Combined with the design basis of 5.5 hours of sun, the result is a streetlight network intended to remain operational through reduced irradiance periods.
Standards and Compliance: Designed for Public Lighting Use
SOLAR TODO configured the streetlights to align with recognized product and safety standards:
- IEC 60598 (luminaires/safety requirements)
- IEC 62124 (safety and performance for photovoltaic-related systems)
- CJJ 45-2015 (local-relevant street lighting guidance)
This standards alignment matters because street lighting is installed in public spaces where safety, electrical protection, and predictable performance are essential. The split-type architecture further supports compliance by keeping components in purpose-built locations (panel at the pole top, battery in the base compartment, and LED head on the side arm), reducing exposure risks and simplifying inspection.
Technical Specifications
- Quantity: 82 units
- Product type: Solar Streetlight (Split-Type) (panel and LED head are SEPARATE components connected by visible wires)
- Pole: 9m hot-dip galvanized steel pole, wind resist 45 m/s, 25yr life
- Solar panel: SEPARATE Mono TOPCon 340W (tilted bracket at pole top)
- 23% efficiency, 0.3%/yr degradation, 30yr warranty
- Charge controller: MPPT charge controller
- Battery: NCM Lithium 12V/80Ah inside pole base compartment
- 250Wh/kg, 2000 cycles, 85% DoD, -10~45°C, 5yr warranty
- Lighting head: SEPARATE LED 30W/4500lm
- 150 lm/W, CRI > 70
- Backup: 3–5 days cloudy weather backup
- Control: dusk-to-dawn auto operation
- Smart features: motion sensor (30% energy saving) + dimming control (15% saving)
- Design spacing: 27 m
- Road width: 5 m
- Climate basis: tropical zone, 5.5h sun
- Standards: CJJ 45-2015 / IEC 60598 / IEC 62124
- Project location: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (21.49, 39.19)
Results and Impact: Operational Lighting with Lower Waste
This deployment was designed to deliver dependable illumination while optimizing energy use. Because the lights are split-type, each functional component is accessible and can be maintained without dismantling the entire assembly.
Operational continuity under variable solar conditions
The combination of:
- a high-efficiency 340W Mono TOPCon panel,
- MPPT charge control,
- and 12V/80Ah NCM lithium battery storage,
supports 3–5 days cloudy weather backup. For Jeddah, where public lighting must remain reliable during intermittent weather patterns, this backup window is a practical resilience feature.
Smarter energy behavior at night
The streetlights incorporate two energy optimization mechanisms:
- Motion sensor: reduces consumption by 30% when movement patterns indicate lower usage.
- Dimming control: adds 15% additional saving by tailoring output to conditions.
Together, these controls help reduce unnecessary energy draw during late-night low-traffic periods while maintaining a functional safety level.
Improved maintainability through split architecture
By keeping the solar panel and LED light head as SEPARATE components connected by visible wiring, SOLAR TODO’s design improves service workflows:
- Inspect/replace the panel without disturbing the LED head assembly.
- Inspect/replace the LED light head without accessing the top-mounted panel.
- Access the battery compartment within the pole base for safer maintenance.
In municipal environments, time-to-repair and component traceability are key performance indicators; the split design supports faster interventions.
Related Industry Context (Authoritative References)
SOLAR TODO’s configuration is aligned with widely accepted guidance and standards for lighting safety and photovoltaic system considerations:
- IEC 60598 (luminaires safety and performance requirements) supports safe public lighting deployment.
- IEC 62124 provides relevant safety and performance considerations for photovoltaic systems used in lighting applications.
- NREL resources on PV performance and system reliability help inform design assumptions around energy capture and operational stability.
- IRENA publications support broader best practices for renewable-based infrastructure reliability and lifecycle thinking.
- ITU materials on smart infrastructure and controlled deployments reinforce the importance of predictable operation and maintainable architectures.
Internal Links
For more details on the product configuration and split-type approach, visit:
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Are the solar panel and LED light head integrated or separate on this Jeddah project?
They are separate (split-type) components. The Mono TOPCon 340W panel is mounted at the pole top on a tilted bracket, while the 30W/4500lm LED light head is mounted on the side arm. They are connected by visible wiring.
2) What backup duration is supported during cloudy weather?
The system is designed for 3–5 days cloudy weather backup, helping maintain dusk-to-dawn operation during multi-day reduced irradiance periods.
3) How does the streetlight reduce energy consumption at night?
It uses motion sensor control (30% energy saving) and dimming control (15% saving) in addition to dusk-to-dawn auto operation, reducing output when conditions indicate lower traffic.
4) What standards were the project designed to meet?
The deployment aligns with CJJ 45-2015 / IEC 60598 / IEC 62124 to support safe and reliable operation for public lighting.
Conclusion
SOLAR TODO’s 82-unit Solar Streetlight (Split-Type) deployment in Jeddah demonstrates how a modular, serviceable street lighting architecture can meet real-world infrastructure needs. With 9m hot-dip galvanized steel poles rated for 45 m/s wind, a separate Mono TOPCon 340W panel, MPPT charging, and NCM 12V/80Ah battery storage in the pole base compartment, the system is engineered for reliable dusk-to-dawn operation. Smart controls—motion sensing (30% saving) and dimming (15% saving)—further improve operational efficiency, while the 3–5 days cloudy weather backup supports continuity through variable conditions.
For municipalities planning long-term public lighting assets, the split-type design offers both performance and maintainability—delivering dependable illumination without coupling every component into a single, harder-to-service unit.
Equipment Deployed
- 82 × Solar Streetlight (Split-Type): 9m hot-dip galvanized steel pole (wind resist 45 m/s, 25yr life) with separate top-mounted Mono TOPCon 340W panel (23% efficiency, 0.3%/yr degradation, 30yr warranty) and separate side-arm LED 30W/4500lm (150 lm/W, CRI>70)
- 82 × MPPT charge controller (for split-type panel-to-battery energy management)
- 82 × NCM Lithium battery 12V/80Ah inside pole base compartment (250Wh/kg, 2000 cycles, 85% DoD, -10~45°C, 5yr warranty)
- 82 × Smart control module: dusk-to-dawn auto operation + motion sensor (30% energy saving) + dimming control (15% saving)
- 82 × Design for 3–5 days cloudy weather backup; deployment spacing 27m for 5m road width in Jeddah (21.49, 39.19)