Pilot Lightmotion BV with the Municipality of Rotterdam (EN)

The municipality of Rotterdam is conducting a trial to investigate the functioning of a smart city hub: a modular unit in which modules can be placed, including a light tower, which itself can also be fitted with 5G antennas and sensors in a modular manner. The municipality is working together with Lightwell, a supplier of intelligent street lighting.

At the beginning of 2019, the municipality of Rotterdam approached Lightwell with the question whether the company could help develop a smart city hub. Such a modular unit must be suitable for the integration of various systems such as ev (electric vehicle) charging, sensors, 5G network systems and lighting.

Lightwell has been working on its Lightmotion concept for a number of years of the smart light pole (with LED lighting), whereby in addition to lighting in the outdoor area, such a luminaire can also be used as a charging point for electric cars, WiFi hotspot and environmental sensor. Following the request of the Municipality of Rotterdam, the company has developed CENT-R: Connective Energy Network Tool -Rotterdam.

Compared to Lightmotion, this is a modular unit for various smart city applications and can be continuously adjusted. Another intended advantage is that by using such a multifunctional system, fewer smart city objects need to be placed in public space.

In a pilot that started at the end of last week, the municipality will test three CENT-R hubs for various smart city applications, charging systems and public lighting in the city. The trial will take place in the Reyeroord district in the IJsselmonde district and will run until the end of this year.

An important point of attention is linking with a multitude of applications. For example, the link with Remoticom’s sensor hotel is being looked at. One of the CENT-Rs at the pilot location will be fed such a sensor hotel with 24V DC. About twenty sensors can be connected via Vodafone’s internet-of-things technology (NBIOT – narrowband iot).

For Rotterdam, testing the CENT-R devices fits in with the ambition to be a shining example of a digital city by 2025. In addition to the municipality and Lightwell, industrial producer Valmont, Da Vinci College Dordrecht, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences and installation company Citytec are also involved in the trial.