Rural revitalization through solar street lights
After the rural revitalization plan, in order to effectively solve the problem of inconvenient and unsafe night travel for the masses, the installation of street lights for village roads has been put on the agenda. However, the village roads are curved, the power infrastructure is incomplete, it is difficult to rewire, and remote monitoring and management, and in recent years, there have been many instances of power shortages in many places in China, and the power is often limited. If we can promote the use of GSM-based solar street lights on rural roads, it will reduce wiring construction costs, save electricity and management costs, and maximize the realization of low-carbon environmental protection.
With the advancement of the rural revitalization plan, improving infrastructure in villages has become an important step toward building safer, more livable communities. One pressing issue is the lack of reliable and safe lighting on village roads. At night, residents face challenges with inconvenient and unsafe travel, especially on curved roads and unpaved pathways. Traditional grid-powered street lights are often not feasible in these environments due to incomplete power infrastructure, difficult rewiring, and increasing concerns about power shortages.
An innovative solution lies in the deployment of intelligent GSM-based solar street light systems, which combine renewable energy with smart communication technology.
Why GSM-Based Solar Street Lights?
A solar street light with pole and battery provides independent, off-grid illumination by generating energy through solar panels and storing it in LiFePO₄ batteries. Adding a GSM communication module brings remote monitoring and intelligent management.
Key Advantages:
No Grid Wiring Required: Each unit operates independently, powered by a 400 watt solar panel or 200 watt solar panel, depending on road width and brightness requirements.
Reliable Energy Storage: Advanced LiFePO₄ batteries ensure 8–12 years of cycle life, even under frequent cloudy conditions.
Remote Monitoring: GSM enables real-time fault alerts, battery status checks, and lighting schedule adjustments through cloud platforms.
Lower O&M Costs: Village administrators can detect and solve issues remotely, reducing manual inspections.
Energy Saving & Low-Carbon: Eliminates reliance on the grid, reduces electricity costs, and supports China’s carbon neutrality goals.
Overall system design
The system consists of a solar energy storage power supply module, a light chasing motor drive module, a microcontroller control module, a GSM communication module, a clock module, light sampling module. The processor controls the DC/DC converter to convert solar energy into electricity and store it in the battery; according to the date and time, it controls the light chasing motor to adjust the tilting angle of the solar panels to maximize the power generation; according to the voltage of the battery, the time information, and the current illumination, the system automatically converts two modes of charging and lighting. After turning on the light, the system adjusts the output voltage of the DC/DC converter according to the light intensity, and adjusts the brightness of energy-saving lamps in three gears to further achieve energy-saving effects.
Solar Panel Tilt and Rotation Hardware Structural Design
The most important part of the structural design of the street light is the design of the solar panel tilt angle, which is related to the power generation of the solar panel. In this paper, according to the changing law of the sun’s high angle and azimuth angle, taking into account the stability of the solar panel, combined with the actual situation in remote areas, we put forward the manual and automatic adjustment of the tilt angle of the design program.
Design Ideas for Solar Panel Tilt Angle and Rotation Angle Control
Solar panel tracking of the sun is divided into two ways: altitude angle tracking and azimuth angle tracking. Altitude angle tracking is to adjust the solar panel to track the sun in a south-north upward direction, and the cycle is yearly. Azimuthal tracking is to track the sun upwards from east to west, cycling on a daily basis. Dual-axis tracking, in which both axes are active, leads to a lack of stability in the mechanical structure. At the same time, given that Suzhou is a low latitude area, the altitude angle does not change much, and taking into account that the municipal government will clean the solar panels four times a year for surface dust and overhaul the circuit structure, this paper designs a manual three-step pusher for the altitude angle, and an automatic following program for the horizontal angle. According to the calculated height angle, the height angle tracking is designed as a 3-block manual adjustment, through the three-block manual actuator were in the vernal equinox (autumnal equinox), summer solstice, winter solstice near the solar panels in the north and south direction of the support bar tilt angle adjusted to 60 °, 82 °, 40 °, adjusted after the locking of the fixed.
Benefits for Rural Communities
Enhanced Safety: Well-lit roads reduce accidents, deter crime, and improve quality of life.
Cost Efficiency: Eliminates the need for grid wiring while reducing long-term electricity and maintenance costs.
Scalability: Easy to expand lighting coverage as villages grow or road networks improve.
Environmental Sustainability: Promotes renewable energy adoption and contributes to low-carbon rural development.
The integration of GSM-based intelligent solar street light systems into rural infrastructure addresses the unique challenges of village road lighting. By leveraging solar energy, high-efficiency LED lamp fixtures, durable LiFePO₄ batteries, and smart communication technology, these systems deliver reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly lighting. For China’s rural revitalization goals, they represent not just an infrastructure upgrade but a long-term investment in community safety, sustainability, and digital management.
BOSUN® Lighting is committed to providing complete solar street light with battery solutions tailored for rural projects — combining energy independence, intelligent control, and long-lasting performance to bring light and security to every corner of the countryside.
Post time: Aug-16-2025
