Hawaiian Electric first company in Hawaii to own hybrid technology lighting for night utility work
Combines safety with environmental-friendly benefits
Release Date: 4/25/2019
HONOLULU, April 25, 2019 – Hawaiian Electric is the first company in Hawaii to own high-efficiency hybrid technology lighting for use during nighttime utility work. The solar-rechargeable, battery storage, LED light tower trailers require less fuel, emit little to no carbon dioxide emissions and produce less noise than conventional light towers.
“When in operation using battery power, the unit is completely silent, which makes this lighting apparatus ideal for use in residential areas” said Lane Hiramoto, Hawaiian Electric generation services manager. When in operation with the engine running, at 7 meters distance (or just over 21 feet), the noise level is 65 decibels or about the level of road traffic.
A key reason for selecting the light towers was the Kubota hybrid diesel engine that combines solar energy with a DC generator. Four solar panels collect sunlight to charge the 24-volt DC battery, and six 150-watt LED floodlights with horizontal and vertical 180-degree angle lighting possibilities provide high-efficiency, super bright lighting.
A light tower can provide up to eight hours of runtime off the battery bank, and when depleted, the trailer engine auto-starts to recharge the batteries. This helps lower operational costs by reducing fuel consumption and engine maintenance due to the low engine use.
Another benefit of the lighting unit is the trailer’s 7-section, steel-galvanized vertical tower that is corrosion resistant to Hawaii’s salt air.
“We had this on our radar for a couple of years but it was a challenge to purchase because the manufacturer, Verdegro®, is based in the Netherlands,” added Hiramoto. Once Verdegro opened a U.S. office, the utility immediately put in an order for four light tower trailers, each weighing in at 2,171 pounds. The shipment took about six months to arrive.
Hawaiian Electric has used the hybrid technology light towers at its Ward Base Yard during recent overnight work on property and will deploy them for future nighttime utility work in communities.
