When Santa Fe County discovered that connecting the new roadway project to the electrical grid would drastically increase costs, officials decided to take another path. By replacing traditional streetlights with a high-performance solar street lighting solution developed by Sol by Sunna Design, the challenge was turned into an opportunity. The project was delivered faster, at a lower cost, and without compromising road user safety.
Santa Fe, New Mexico – USA
The State of New Mexico is a land of exceptional natural and cultural wealth, and Santa Fe is one of its most striking symbols. As the state capital and the oldest capital city in the United States, it welcomes nearly two million visitors each year, according to official city data.
Its charm lies as much in its history as in its cultural dynamism. Art lovers flock to discover the hundreds of galleries along Canyon Road, while nature enthusiasts explore the surrounding hiking trails.
Such attractiveness naturally goes hand in hand with a growing need for modern infrastructure, able to keep up with the area’s development. The southwest of the city, particularly around the Community College District, is experiencing rapid expansion. To address this, local authorities launched an ambitious program with a major objective: modernizing the roads while keeping public spending under control and integrating sustainable and high-performance solutions.
To sustain this growth, Santa Fe County launched a large-scale road infrastructure project including three new sections totaling nearly 6.4 kilometers. These roads carry heavy daily traffic, made up of private vehicles, trucks, and local users.
To improve traffic flow, six roundabouts were integrated into the design. But beyond driving comfort, nighttime safety was a central concern. A reliable and high-performance road lighting solution was essential. Initially, a conventional grid-connected lighting system had been chosen. But a major unforeseen challenge disrupted these plans.
While the plans had already been approved, project engineers identified a challenge: connecting the future streetlights to the grid would require costly civil engineering work, estimated at over one million dollars.
Faced with this additional cost, the county made a strategic choice: to adopt an autonomous solar road lighting solution.
In collaboration with Acuity Brands, the teams opted for an all-in-one solar lighting system, reliable and quick to deploy, capable of meeting the same performance requirements as traditional lighting while reducing both construction time and costs.
The EverGen model from Sol by Sunna Design is perfectly suited for large-scale roadway projects. It represents a new generation of autonomous solar streetlights, combining power, reliability, and ease of installation.
Completely independent from the grid, EverGen delivers lighting levels that meet the requirements of high-traffic roadways. Its lighting profile can be adjusted for each area: roundabouts, access roads, or main roads.
With no cabling or trenching, installation is fast and non-invasive. It is also compliant with U.S. standards, including the Night Sky Protection Act of New Mexico, which aims to limit light pollution.
This system includes Bluetooth connectivity, remote monitoring, and a 10-year warranty. Paired with AEL Autobahn luminaires, it delivers consistent and energy-efficient lighting.
A strategic project, completed ahead of schedule and under budget
The installation of 48 EverGen solar streetlights was carried out in January 2025 with the support of Sol by Sunna Design technical teams. The project was completed on time, within budget, and without significantly disrupting traffic.
The new roadways now provide greater nighttime driving comfort and allow the county to achieve long-term savings on operating and maintenance costs. It also represents a measurable environmental gain, thanks to a zero-emission solution during operation.
This project perfectly illustrates how a community can, when faced with a challenge, choose sustainable innovation and combine performance, energy efficiency, and budget control.
In Santa Fe, solar roadway lighting is no longer a secondary option: it is a proven solution for the future.
Our experts support you in designing a solution tailored to your technical, economic, and environmental goals.
When Santa Fe County discovered that connecting the new roadway project to the electrical grid would drastically increase costs, officials decided to take another path. By replacing traditional streetlights with a high-performance solar street lighting solution developed by Sol by Sunna Design, the challenge was turned into an opportunity. The project was delivered faster, […]
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