About solar lighting 7 November 2024
Municipalities across France have faced a troubling surge in copper cable theft for several years. This phenomenon incurs high costs and logistical burdens, directly impacting public lighting infrastructure and user safety. Unlike traditional streetlights that rely on extensive cabling, solar lighting stands out as a fully autonomous solution, free from cabling and therefore immune to these risks. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind the rise in copper theft, its effects on conventional public lighting, and why solar lighting offers a secure and sustainable alternative.
Copper cable thefts in public infrastructure are rising in France and becoming an increasingly serious issue. With a high market value, copper reached a price of €9.29/kg in June 2024, making it the second-most expensive metal after gold. This price surge, coupled with the scarcity of copper as a non-renewable, rarely recycled resource, intensifies demand. Public infrastructure, particularly lighting networks, is especially affected since copper is widely used for power supply.
The consequences of these thefts are severe: beyond financial losses, they directly compromise public safety and demand significant time and resources to address. In affected areas, streetlights are often left out of service, placing pedestrians and drivers in the dark and increasing accident risks.
For municipalities, the impacts involve not only high replacement costs but also major maintenance operations, including labor-intensive repairs and deployment of teams to restore lighting, which typically include:
Financial damages can reach hundreds of thousands of euros. For example, the Interdepartmental Directorate of Northern Roads estimated a loss of at least €500,000 following a series of thefts and damages to public lighting networks near Lille.
This growing problem highlights the vulnerability of copper-dependent infrastructure and raises the need for secure, sustainable alternatives. Solar-powered street lighting provides a safe, lasting solution by offering natural protection against cable theft.
Unlike traditional streetlights, solar-powered lighting requires no copper cabling, making it utterly unaffected by theft. Each solar light has its photovoltaic panel, battery, and intelligent management system, enabling independent operation without any connection to the power grid.
This energy independence makes solar lighting a resilient and low-maintenance solution, ideal for municipalities. The solar lighting project in Eysines demonstrates how this technology eliminates interruptions caused by cable theft and streetlight damage. By choosing autonomous installations, municipalities achieve substantial savings, not only on electricity bills but also on related operational costs. This also significantly reduces maintenance expenses, service interruptions, and security costs, enabling municipalities to save substantially on electricity and operational expenses.
Confronted with the challenges posed by copper theft, solar lighting is emerging as a secure and sustainable solution. Eliminating the need for cabling protects infrastructure, reduces maintenance costs, and provides reliable, continuous lighting. Adopting this technology strengthens public safety and supports a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach. Solar lighting meets current needs and represents a shift towards a resilient and responsible infrastructure model ready to tackle tomorrow’s challenges.
