A Key Step Toward Smart Energy Saving: How Single-Lamp Controllers Enable “Lighting on Demand”
- Share
- From
- Sina Finance
- Issue Time
- Nov 10,2025
Summary
However, under traditional street lighting modes, whether it is a busy main road or a quiet alley late at night, the streetlights typically remain at the same brightness.
When night falls, streetlights across the city gradually light up, illuminating the paths of people returning home. However, under traditional street lighting modes, whether it is a busy main road or a quiet alley late at night, the streetlights typically remain at the same brightness. This “one-size-fits-all” lighting approach not only results in energy waste but also shortens the lifespan of the luminaires.
Today, as smart city development continues to advance, a quiet transformation in street lighting is underway. At the center of this change is the single-lamp controller and the concept of “lighting on demand” that it enables.
From "Group Control" to "Individual Control", A Leap in Management Precision
In the past, street lighting management mainly relied on “group control.” All street lights on the same circuit would turn on and off at the same time, or at most, some would be turned off alternately. This approach was simple and rough, unable to respond to the diverse and changing lighting needs of different road environments.
The emergence of single-lamp controllers completely changed this situation. It is equivalent to equipping each street light with its own independent “smart brain” and “nervous system,” enabling management personnel to monitor, control, and maintain any individual light independently. This becomes the true physical foundation for achieving “lighting on demand.”
Three Smart Scenarios of "Lighting on Demand"
So how exactly does a single-lamp controller achieve “lighting on demand”? This is mainly reflected in the following three aspects:
Timed Dimming: Synchronizing with the City's Daily Rhythm
During late-night hours when traffic and pedestrian flow are minimal, the single-lamp controller can automatically execute dimming strategies, reducing the brightness of streetlights from 100% to 50% or even 30%. This is not simply "turning lights off", but rather delivering precise energy savings while still ensuring safety and necessary illumination. This alone can save 40% to 60% of energy consumption.
Lighting by Road Type: Different Roads, Different Brightness Levels
Lighting needs vary significantly across different types of city roads. Highways, main roads, secondary roads, and residential alleyways all require different illumination standards. The single-lamp controller allows easy grouping and differentiated management, enabling customized brightness settings for each road type. This effectively prevents both over-illumination and under-illumination.
Emergency Response: Smart Support for Public Safety
In special situations, such as a traffic accident occurring on a particular road segment, the command center can remotely increase the brightness of the streetlights in that area to 100% with just one click, ensuring optimal lighting for emergency handling. This flexible response capability is something that traditional streetlight systems simply cannot achieve.
Choosing a Reliable "Central Nervous System" to Ensure Smart Lighting Takes Root
The concept of "lighting on demand" is undoubtedly the future direction of streetlight energy-saving upgrades. However, selecting a stable, efficient, and intelligent single-lamp controller is the key to turning this concept into reality.
A single-lamp controller is not merely a device for switching and dimming. It is an integrated management terminal equipped with advanced communication technology, precise power consumption monitoring, and strong fault-diagnosis capabilities. Through the management platform, operators can clearly view the real-time status, energy data, and operating parameters of each streetlight, enabling refined operation and maintenance. This ensures that every dimming command is executed accurately and efficiently, allowing the streetlight system to transform from a "high energy consumer" into an "intelligent energy-saving steward".
The blueprint of a smart city is drawn from countless finely managed nodes like this. By giving streetlights an "intelligent brain", what is illuminated is not only the night, but also a sustainable path toward a greener and more efficient future.