WAYNE TWP. — Blinding light blazes from a cluttered work bench in Jim Wassel’s research and development office at the ALLED Lighting Systems Facility — and just like the sun, you shouldn’t look directly at it.
The device looks almost as science-fictional as it is. Wassel, chief technical officer for ALLED, also known as Appalachian Lighting Systems, is testing a solar-powered LED streetlight that could eventually be installed in Australia. Wassel is testing the light to ensure that it can handle extreme conditions that occur “Down Under.”
ALLED’s under-development solar powered streetlight has the potential to be doubly green. Like the company’s other devices, it uses a fraction of the electricity necessary to run a mercury-vapor light and, if it is successful, that power will come from the sun.
Wassel, who has developed some of world’s most efficient and durable LED devices — according to the U.S. Department of Energy and LED Magazine — said the solar-powered light came about due to popular demand.
“We’ve had a lot of people ask us for solar-powered streetlights,” Wassel said.
The solar-powered light is one of several new innovations from ALLED, based in Wayne Township’s Burnstown neighborhood since installing new leadership in April in the form of President Al Iagnemma.
Iagnemma has a background in improving manufacturing efficiency with several organizations. This includes Hawkeye Concrete Products, which he built and expanded into an international corporation, and the Pittsburgh-based AIM Group consulting organization, which he founded.
In addition to solar-powered streetlights, ALLED is developing LEDs for household use with a series of floodlights that give off 300 watts of light for only 30 to 60 watts of electricity usage. In the Ellwood City area, the devices are available at T&M Hardware and Rubino Electric.
When testing on the solar-powered streetlight is complete, Wassel said he plans to install a prototype in Ellwood City ahead of the main installation in Australia. That innovation is the latest in a long line of LED devices developed by ALLED, starting with the first-generation of streetlights in Ellwood City, which completed a 100 percent changeover from mercury vapor lights to LEDs.
The company also has provided warehouse lighting for the General Motors Lordstown plant and the parking facilities at Pittsburgh International Airport. At the end of July, ALLED will complete installation of the second phase of streetlight installations in Welland, Ontario, Canada.
As posted on May 29, 2015 on ellwoodcityledger.com by Eric Poole
