Smart Streetlights: How Adaptive Lighting Saves Energy

February 17, 2025

As reported by Smithsonian Magazine in their article “Clever? Smart Street Lamps Light Up Only When Needed“, cities across the world are looking for innovative ways to reduce energy waste while maintaining public safety. Dutch entrepreneur Chintan Shah, founder of Tvilight, has developed a motion-activated street lighting system that adjusts brightness based on real-time human activity, significantly cutting energy costs while maintaining visibility.

Street lighting accounts for over 40% of a government’s energy use and contributes to millions of tons of CO2 emissions annually. Tvilight’s solution retrofits existing streetlights with smart sensors, dimming lights when no activity is detected and brightening them when cars, cyclists, or pedestrians approach. Unlike conventional motion-activated lighting, these sensors are designed to differentiate human movement from minor disturbances, such as wind-blown trees or small animals.

The benefits of smart streetlights extend beyond energy savings. While some worry about reduced visibility, Tvilight’s system ensures that streetlights remain bright enough for security cameras and can be fine-tuned for different environments. For instance, busy intersections may only be dimmed by 30-40%, while vacant parking lots could see reductions of up to 70%. If the system encounters inclement weather or technical issues, it defaults to full brightness to maintain safety.

Since 2011, municipalities in the Netherlands and Ireland have adopted this smart lighting technology, and discussions are underway with cities in Germany, Canada, and the United States, including Los Angeles. With estimated annual energy savings of up to 60%, cities could recoup their initial investment within three to four years.

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Article with all rights reserved, courtesy of Smithsonian Magazine.