Solar Cells Info

St. Louis Park, Minn., June 15, 2007
Source. EarthTimes.org
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/73188.html

St. Louis Park, Minn., is installing a Wi-Fi network powered with the use of solar technology. The city said it is installing a 400 access-point solar-powered Wi-Fi network, called ParkWiFi. The network is designed to provide wireless Internet coverage across all 10 square miles of the city, a suburb of Minneapolis with 44,000 residents, according to the city and Arinc Inc., the Annapolis, Md.-based contractor on the project, Computerworld reported.

Each access point will have a battery to supply power and a solar panel to keep the battery charged; a fiber-optic cable will tie the access points into a network. Most of the access points and solar panels will be mounted on 16-foot poles that are painted dark brown after residents raised concerns to the St. Louis Park City Council about the aesthetics of the poles and their locations when the first poles were erected in April, according to the city’s Web site.

Arinc officials estimate the network is expected to start running in October. However, the city said that residents’ concerns over the poles delayed the rollout by six weeks, and the changes they requested will add $150,000 in costs. Homeowners and businesses will be able to buy wireless broadband service over the network for a monthly cost. The city will retain ownership of the network and is paying some upfront costs, but subscription fees are expected to pay for the system, according to city records.