Mon, Feb 02, 2004
Using Solar-Powered LEDs To Provide Runway Lighting
Imagine lighting your runway without
paying the electric bill. That's the driving vision behind a
Canadian company called Carmanah.
One of the company's latest projects involves lighting both
taxiways and runways at the Truckee Tahoe Airport (CA) at a cost of
$122,000. Purchased in December, the airport estimates the
solar-powered LED lighting from Carmanah will save more than a
quarter of a million dollars over the cost of conventional
lighting.
"Truckee Tahoe joins a rapidly
growing list of airports discovering the safety, reliability and
cost advantages of solar LED lighting," Carmanah's CEO, Art
Aylesworth said. "We spent a significant portion of 2003 educating
the market about our technology and proving its viability. We are
confident that 2004 will be a year when the technology is embraced,
as we saw with LED marine markers and traffic signals a few years
ago."
Imagine lighting airport surfaces without extensive wiring. Each
of Carmaha's lights is self-contained. In addition to the savings
in installation and wiring, the airport estimates it will save more
than $18,000 a year in operating costs.
"The savings can be put toward upgrading other infrastructure at
the airport", Aylesworth said.
The lighting scheme looks so good -- at least on the surface --
that the FAA plans to use Truckee Tahoe as an example for the rest
of the country as the administration looks for ways to improve
runway lighting technology.
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