JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — In a city well-acquainted with the power of hurricanes and the darkness that often follows, a West Jacksonville neighborhood is taking steps toward storm resilience — with the help of the sun.

82 solar-powered streetlights now illuminate the Diamond Springs community, the first installation of its kind in Jacksonville. The project comes from Tampa-based tech company Streetleaf, in partnership with Metro Development Group, and it’s already making a noticeable impact.

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“Even when the grid is down or even when it is overcast and stormy outside like a hurricane, we will have those lights not only to last all night, but days after these extreme weather events,” said Liam Ryan, CEO of Streetleaf.

Each light is equipped with solar panels and lithium battery backups, designed to store enough energy to keep them running for up to five days — even during widespread power outages. Ryan said this kind of self-sufficiency could be a game-changer in storm-prone areas like Jacksonville.

“During the day, the solar panels absorb energy from the sun and is storing that energy in our lithium batteries — that’s what powers the streetlight at night,” Ryan explained.

The lights also come with other advantages. Because they don’t rely on the traditional electrical grid, there’s no need for underground wiring or trenching — significantly reducing both installation time and infrastructure costs.

“That also goes into speed, so we can deploy as quick as 15 minutes, where it can take hours for traditional street light,” Ryan added.

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Smart-enabled and app-connected, the lights can be remotely monitored and controlled — giving local developers and potentially city officials a powerful new tool in energy management.

According to Ryan, Streetleaf has already installed more than 10,000 solar streetlights across the U.S., with most of them in Florida. But the Diamond Springs project marks the company’s debut in Jacksonville.

“We’ve deployed over 10,000 streetlights across the U.S., mostly in Florida. But these 82 deployed in Diamond Springs are our first ones in the Jacksonville area,” he said.

And the project is just beginning. The goal is to expand the system to include up to 200 solar lights, providing even more residents with dependable, renewable lighting — rain or shine.

Ryan said beyond energy savings, this technology offers something even more valuable during Florida’s storm season: peace of mind.

82 solar-powered streetlights now illuminate the Diamond Springs community.

The Diamond Springs community is now illuminated by 82 solar-powered streetlights 82 solar-powered streetlights now illuminate the Diamond Springs community, the first installation of its kind in Jacksonville. The Diamond Springs community is now illuminated by 82 solar-powered streetlights 82 solar-powered streetlights now illuminate the Diamond Springs community, the first installation of its kind in Jacksonville. The Diamond Springs community is now illuminated by 82 solar-powered streetlights 82 solar-powered streetlights now illuminate the Diamond Springs community, the first installation of its kind in Jacksonville.

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