Alachua County Parks & Open Space has completed a solar site lighting project at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center (210 SE 134th Ave., Micanopy).
At the direction of the county manager to use solar site lighting where feasible, the department spent several months researching manufacturers to identify a system that met standards for features, quality, and cost for county parks. After selecting a vendor, Parks staff worked with the manufacturer to tailor photometric plans for the Cuscowilla site, and equipment was ordered. Precast concrete bases were manufactured locally once the lighting components arrived.
The project includes 11 poles and bases with a total of 15 DarkSky-approved LED overhead fixtures. Each pole includes one or two fixtures, a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery, and a photovoltaic module. The system operates independently of the electrical grid and requires no underground or overhead wiring. Batteries are rated for 10 to 12 years, LED fixtures for 20 years, and photovoltaic modules for 30 years.
The lighting system can be programmed to turn on at sunset, operate at full brightness for several hours, then dim to 50% overnight before returning to full power prior to sunrise. At Cuscowilla, staff can also turn off the lights for scheduled stargazing events. Using LoRa technology, the manufacturer’s remote management application enables remote control, fixture geolocation, real-time diagnostics, and performance optimization.
Alachua County Public Works assisted with installation, completing the work in-house in six working days.
“We’re excited about this installation, our first solar lighting project,” said Parks Capital Projects Manager Ed Williams. “We want to give a heartfelt thanks to our colleagues in Public Works for their help with the project.”
For more information, contact Ed Williams at 352-240-4168 or ewilliams@alachuacounty.us.
