Citywide Solar Powered Wifi

The Star Tribune of Minneapolis-St. Paul in Minnesota recently reported that the city of St. Louis Park could become the first city in the USA to provide all its residents with access to a solar-powered, wireless internet service.

The service, which – if approved – could start as early as next autumn, would be powered by some 400 solar panels 20 to 30 feet in the air on street furniture. The panels would connect to batteries storing the solar power and to radio nodes that would send and receive signals from computers. The St. Louis Park City Council is due to vote on the matter on 6th November.

So far, 300 customers have been involved in trials of the wifi network, which has still to be connected up to capture the sun’s energy.

Read the full Star Tribune story.

Additional information from St. Louis Park City Council.