Case study January 2021
Known as “America’s Hometown,” Plymouth, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest municipalities in the United States and is of great significance to America’s history and culture. The Mayflower ship carrying the English pilgrims originally settled in Plymouth in 1620, and the early colony was the site of the first American Thanksgiving, a celebration that is honored annually to this day in downtown Plymouth with a parade and reenactment.
Because of its rich folklore and importance to American history, tourism is a central, thriving sector of Plymouth’s economy, particularly in its downtown core. Ensuring safe and easy access to downtown amenities and attractions is a key component to Plymouth’s tourism success.
Parking Lot
Plymouth, MA
8 EverGen M Series systems with Cree XSP1HO luminaires.
The Plymouth Growth and Development Corporation (PGDC) needed to light a central downtown parking lot to improve safety and access for visitors and citizens of Plymouth. This central lot provides much-needed parking for tourists and other patrons to enjoy the downtown area. Without existing lighting, users felt unsafe and had difficulty navigating the parking lot while driving and on foot. Locating the lot while driving through the city was also troublesome.
PGDC wanted a lighting solution that did not require the installation of underground wiring, a costly and disruptive process. They also had to ensure the project complied with local lighting codes, including IES light levels, fixture cutoff, and color temperature. Additionally, Plymouth is in a high wind zone, so any hardware installed would need to be rated to withstand high-speed winds common to the area.
Working closely with the local rep Speclines, the Sol team conducted a comprehensive site assessment using their advanced solar sizing tools and 20+ years of experience, recommending eight EverGen M Series systems to adequately light the new parking lot. Each system was equipped with two batteries, two 170W solar panels, and a pair of Dark-Sky compliant LED luminaires, allowing the project to meet local lighting codes and provide four days of battery backup power in case of unexpected periods of bad weather. The assessment also specified robust, 120-mph wind-rated poles to resist the strong, Atlantic winds.
Drawn by the strength of Sol’s EverGen solar lighting systems and Speclines’ positive recommendation and application expertise, PGDC chose Sol for their project.
Since the completion of the project, these new lights have helped make this central parking lot safer, easier to locate, and more appealing, enhancing visitors’ access and experience of downtown Plymouth. PGDC is very happy with the lights’ performance, look, and speed of installation.
