London, once the birthplace of the coal-powered revolution, is now leading the charge into a cleaner, renewable future. Kight’s dual wind and solar-powered streetlights are lighting up this transformation, one street at a time.
In a symbolic shift, the first phase of Kight’s project has seen the installation of its innovative KV-2 hybrid streetlights along the Thames Pathway in Greenwich Peninsula. This represents a historic change in the city where the world’s first coal-fired power station – Holborn Viaduct, built in 1882 by inventor Thomas Edison – once powered the streetlights. Now, more than a century later, London is turning away from fossil fuels and starting to embrace 100% renewable energy to illuminate its streets.
This moment is especially poignant as the UK’s last coal-fired power station, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, has recently closed, ending the nation’s 142-year reliance on coal for electricity. With renewables generating more than 50% of the country’s power by mid-2024, up from just 7% in 2010, Kight’s hybrid streetlights represent a key milestone in the UK’s drive toward decarbonisation.
Kight’s KV-2 streetlights are engineered entirely in the UK and designed for the challenges of our climate, combining solar and wind power to maximise energy capture and storage. Featuring optimised control systems designed specifically to integrate these two energy sources, along with bespoke advanced battery storage, the streetlights ensure reliable P4-class lighting through the night, even in the depths of winter.
