Solar parking meters herald microgen revolution

Improvements in the efficiency of photovoltaic solar panels are making it increasingly feasible for councils to slash emissions from traffic infrastructure, and in some cases run technologies such as parking meters entirely from solar power.

That is the view of parking meter specialist Parkeon, which is touting a solar powered meter that runs entirely from power generated from its solar panel.

"Solar-powered parking meters have been around since at least 1995, but the problem was that the panels were huge," explained Robert Barnes, market director for Parkeon in the UK. "Now, the panels have improved and we've managed to cut the energy used by the components to a level where the technology is commercially feasible."

Parkeon has installed 190 of the pay and display units across Manchester and claims that the technology will cut emissions, compared to conventional alternatives by at least one and a half tonnes. It has also secured an order from Richmond council in London for over 300 meters and is reporting burgeoning interest from councils and parking firms.

Barnes insisted that concerns that the meters might prove unreliable during overcast periods were entirely unfounded. "The technology is called solar panels, but they really should be called light panels, because all you need to generate power is light," he said. "Because the components are so efficient, even if the solar panel wasn't there, the battery can last for up to four months before it runs out."

He added that the meters were part of a wider trend that was seeing growing numbers of fixed infrastructure technologies with low energy requirements shift towards using renewable energy sources.

"We seeing more solar panels appear on road signs, street lights and parking meters," he said. "We're expecting to see more and more demand in this area – you get a huge advantage in carbon saving and energy bills and on top of that you don’t have the problem of having to dig up the street to lay power cables."