Pennsylvania State University Utilizes Streetlights as Chargers to Illuminate Roads for Electric Vehicles

Compared to gasoline-powered cars, electric vehicles (EVs) have lower fuel costs and emissions, but they are only a viable option when drivers have convenient access to charging. For those living in multi-unit residences or urban areas, access to charging infrastructure may be particularly limited, which in turn restricts the adoption of electric vehicles.

Image Source: Pennsylvania State University

According to foreign media reports, in order to solve this problem, a research team at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) has created a scalable framework for developing, analyzing, and evaluating the use of streetlights as a low-cost and equitable electric vehicle charging solution. Subsequently, the researchers installed 23 streetlight charging devices in Kansas City, Missouri, and tested the framework. The researchers found that compared to traditional electric vehicle charging stations, streetlight charging stations are more cost-effective and time-efficient, have less negative environmental impact, and are more convenient and accessible. The related research paper was published in the Journal of Urban Planning and Development, overseen by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Xianbiao "XB" Hu, stated, "The motivation for our work is that many residents of apartments and multi-unit dwellings, especially in urban and downtown areas, do not have access to dedicated home electric vehicle chargers because they do not have a garage. Fortunately, the lamp posts themselves are already powered and are usually owned by municipal authorities, making them relatively easy to operate. They are often located near roadside parking and in busy areas, making them ideal for serving local residents and visitors."

Researchers collaborated with Kansas City, the Metro Energy Center, local utility companies, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to convert existing streetlights into electric vehicle charging stations. They then established a three-pronged framework focusing on demand, feasibility, and benefits for other communities to use in developing streetlight electric vehicle charging stations.

Corresponding author Yang "Chris" Song said, "Scalability is an important component of the significance of this framework. Creating a solution that is not only applicable to a specific city but can also be easily adopted by many communities is crucial for increasing the adoption of electric vehicles nationwide."

Researchers studied factors such as land use, station density, surrounding points of interest, and traffic volume to determine demand. They then used this data to train an artificial intelligence model to make demand predictions based on these factors.

Song said, "We also considered fairness, which means actively engaging with the community to ensure that the benefits of streetlight charging are distributed fairly and inclusively among different communities."

Researchers used demand and equity analysis to select 23 streetlights and installed electric vehicle charging stations, then collected data from these charging stations for one year.

Compared to traditional electric vehicle charging stations, researchers have found that the installation cost of these charging stations is much lower because the related infrastructure already exists. Researcher Yuyan "Annie" Pan stated that researchers also discovered that the charging speed of streetlight chargers is significantly faster. This may be because streetlight chargers draw power from dedicated municipal power lines and face less competition for electricity among multiple vehicles charging simultaneously compared to clustered commercial charging stations.

Streetlight charging stations are also beneficial for the environment because they utilize existing parking spaces for cars, saving gasoline and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Professor Pan said, "We have found that using streetlights to charge electric vehicles provides an innovative and equitable way to expand charging infrastructure and promote sustainable electrification."

Researchers stated that the next step is to incorporate more detailed socio-economic data and weather information based on the existing model. Including socio-economic factors will help identify communities with limited electric vehicle adoption rates or potential, ensuring a more equitable infrastructure deployment. Weather data is also crucial, as extreme temperatures can affect battery performance, travel frequency, and overall energy demand.