Fort Worth is brightening up its neighborhoods with sustainability in mind, swapping out old-school lighting for solar-powered streetlights. The partnership with Fonroche Lighting America has already led to over 1,100 streetlights being converted since 2023, according to the City of Fort Worth. This move, part of the city's "Support the Neighborhood LED Streetlight Capital Project," is expected to not only enhance community safety but also to slash the city's annual energy costs substantially, by upwards of $3 million.
It's a phased rollout, and this summer, neighborhoods like Overton South and Wedgwood East are slated to get a batch of 1,000 new lights. The project is a direct response to a survey from 2023, which revealed a measly 40% resident satisfaction rate with the existing street lighting. The new lights come with Fonroche’s Power 365 battery systems, which are said to effortlessly weather extreme temperatures and guarantee illumination all night long. Mayor Mattie Parker summed it up, per the City of Fort Worth, “From forming strategic partnerships with industry leaders to adopting evolving energy technologies, our focus is on setting Fort Worth apart as a leader in innovation and opportunity.”
What makes the Fonroche lights stand out is the absence of a requirement for grid connections, which translates directly into big cost reductions and a zero-energy consumption bragging right. The full rollout, targeting completion by 2026, will aim to tackle the less-than-stellar satisfaction levels by increasing visibility and alleviating safety worries.
