Street lights used for roadways, security, freeways, highways, parking lots, corporate parkways, and other municipal locations are more cost- and energy-efficient with solar panel lights. Solar power technology converts sunlight into energy, and it’s a much more sustainable option than other energy sources, like fossil fuels.
With solar power, cities can reduce their need for utility power so electric bills are lowered or eliminated while still providing illumination in a variety of locations after the sun goes down. These advanced technologies also help municipal officials create safer roadways and sidewalks since they won’t stop working if there’s a mass power outage or other issue.
So, are solar panel street lights really worth it? This guide will cover how solar powered street lights work, their cost-efficient benefits, and the four advanced options offered by Greenshine New Energy today.
Can Solar Panels Power Street Lights?
Solar technology can power lights of all kinds, including street lights. Municipalities and organizations can take advantage of all the benefits this resource offers by avoiding the electricity grid altogether with solar street lighting. Solar panel street lights can be used on any street that receives sufficient sunlight, from busy city streets to rural or remote areas.
Installation is affordable, and the systems are easy to manage. Because a solar panel street light doesn’t rely on the traditional utility grid, you can install it even in remote locations without the need to dig power line trenches. You can also custom design or retrofit your solar panel street lighting system to fit into existing infrastructure. Solar panel street lights are effective modern options when transitioning away from traditional street lighting systems.
How Do Solar Street Lights Work?
Solar street lights are composed of a couple of key components: the solar panel and the solar battery. Solar panels are attached to light posts. Energy from the sun collects in a rechargeable battery within the structure that powers the LED lamps.
These photovoltaic solar panels are comprised of photovoltaic cells that gather rays and convert sunlight into usable electricity. All that power is then transmitted and stored in the light’s battery to continue powering the street lights for long periods.
Solar lighting solutions from Greenshine New Energy utilize solar panels composed of monocrystalline silicon, which increases performance by five percent over other technologies. They can bring in more solar power by absorbing photons from the sun.
Sunlight is a renewable energy source because it’s there every day, even on dark and cloudy days. So, solar powered lights are efficient and effective day after day since they don’t rely on energy sources that could cease or fail.
Do Solar Panel Street Lights Work at Night?
Because the internal solar battery stores up all the power from sunlight, it can power the LED lights at night, well after the sun goes down and the conversion process stops. Even during cloudy or rainy days, solar street lights can store up energy for several full days at a time so that the lamps still operate each night after dark.
Modern solar lights can continue providing light to roadways, parking lots, and parks day and night thanks to the constant stream of sunlight that the technology converts into energy. This is why solar lighting is an effective option for street lights in both cities and rural areas.
Do Solar Panels Work Under Street Lights?
Mounting solar panels must be done carefully since these panels will face all kinds of weather conditions throughout the years. You should carefully consider the weight of the post and panel when placing and angling them. Hardware, including angling brackets, helps ensure that the solar panel stays secure and sturdy and remains at the correct angle to capture the most sunlight possible throughout the day for optimal battery life.
You can take several approaches when placing solar panels on LED lamp posts. At Greenshine New Energy, our solar panels are placed at the top of street light poles and power the LED lights underneath. We also have an option where the panel is wrapped around the pole's shaft so it blends and appears more like a traditional street light.
Are Solar Panel Street Lights Worth It?
Solar panel street lights are absolutely worth the money. In fact, any outdoor lighting system can save money with solar power over time. Solar powered street lights help cities, schools, tribes, and many other organizations significantly reduce the cost of street lighting. Because these lights are entirely autonomous from the electricity grid, there is no monthly bill. They don’t require trenching or wiring, and maintenance costs are low.
Installing solar panel street lights is simple with heavy lifting equipment. Lights from Greenshine New Energy come with all the tools necessary for the installation process, as well as a helpful step-by-step manual.
Another significant benefit of solar lights is that there are no external wires involved, which can cause accidents with traditional street lighting systems. These lights also produce no pollution or radiation, creating a much more environmentally friendly energy source. Even with the initial investment required to switch to solar street lights, the short- and long-term benefits significantly outweigh the costs.
How Much Do Solar Panel Street Lights Cost?
The cost of solar lighting will vary significantly based on the needs of the area and city and the type of system you choose. Choosing solar light versus traditional will likely cost about a thousand dollars more upfront. The total will likely be somewhere around $2,000 per street light. This expense is due to the extra components that come with these lights, including the solar panel and battery, which aren’t included with traditional street light systems.
Even though you may be spending a little more upfront on solar panel street lights, you’ll quickly recoup those costs in a few key ways:
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You won’t need to pay any monthly energy bill for these lights, giving you savings right away.
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The LED bulbs are inexpensive and last a long time.
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Costs associated with wiring and trenching lights are nonexistent.
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Power permits aren’t necessary with solar lights since no electricity is being used.
One cost analysis from Greenshine found that the total expense for one traditional parking lot light was $8,200. The same use of a solar powered light was just $4,800. This analysis included the costs of the light, installation, electrical infrastructure, and electricity over five years.
Even though the cost of a solar powered light may be a little higher than traditional lights, the elimination of the monthly electrical bill and electrical infrastructure makes a huge difference in the total cost. These lights last for many years, so you’ll continue to save long after paying off the initial cost.
Not only can you save significant money by switching to solar lights, but you also are doing the environment a big favor. Solar lights help cities and large organizations contribute to a better planet, which residents or members will likely appreciate.
Greenshine’s Four Best Solar Panel Street Lights
Greenshine New Energy provides outdoor solar LED systems for commercial, residential, and industrial needs. Our lights are used in more than 5,000 locations around the globe, and we deliver industry-leading and proprietary solar lighting solutions.
We have four different solar panel street light solutions we offer to clients ranging from the military, schools and universities, Native American tribes, government agencies, and more. We help municipalities and organizations go green and reduce their environmental footprint significantly. We also help them lower energy costs with more efficient technology.
Here is an overview of each of the solar street lighting solutions from Greenshine and their main benefits.
SUPERA Solar Panel Street Lighting System
First, let’s talk about our SUPERA Solar Lighting System. This option is for streets, pathways, parking lots, security, highways, and other medium to large areas that need a lot of illumination. The LED fixture has a 60 to 80-watt Cobra Head style that includes two solar panels, which are dark sky friendly and provide high light output.
Benefits of SUPERA include:
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Great for medium to large areas that need a lot of reliable light
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Light poles that can withstand extreme weather conditions, with high-quality galvanized steel poles, durable LED aluminum frames, and a corrosion-resistant powder coating
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Lights with up to seven days of autonomy
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Batteries with 12 years of floating design life
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25-year power output warranty
The SUPERA lights are best for larger areas that require a durable, long-lasting solution.
Brighta Solar Lighting System
Greenshine’s Brighta Solar Lighting System is a great option for parks, pathways, parking lots, and street lighting. There are three light fixture options with Brighta: the cobra head, dome-shaped, and square form and sleek sloped top line. The design on these lights is simple, and the LED fixture has a luminaire efficiency above 130 lumens per watt. There is one solar panel comprised of monocrystalline solar cells.
Benefits of Brighta include:
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Great for long, narrow lighting areas
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Multiple options for the galvanized steel pole length: 17’, 20’, and 23’
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Durability and consistent performance in very harsh weather conditions
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Can provide five to seven days of light, even without the sun
The Brighta system may be the right option when you want some flexibility and need to illuminate long, narrow areas.
Lumina Solar Panel Street Lights
Next is our Lumina Solar Lighting System. This is another effective possibility if you need to illuminate parks, streets, parking lots, bike lanes, corporate complexes, and parkways. This system has the same three light fixture options as the Brighta and is dark sky friendly. The Lumina series offers the most advanced LED lamp in the marketplace.
Benefits of Lumina include:
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Up to 7 days of power backup
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An LED lamp that ranges from 30 to 80 watts with a luminaire efficiency above 130 lumens per watt
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Sleek design that helps the lights blend in with the surroundings
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IP68 solar charge controllers that regulate the solar panel voltage to the battery
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25-year power output warranty
This system is the perfect option when you want to have that seven-day backup protection and efficient LED lamps.
Volta Solar Light Pole System
Finally, the Volta Solar Light Pole System gives you a sleek and efficient option for your solar lighting needs. The 20-foot pole supports solar panels that wrap around the shaft for a more attractive appearance. This series is great for parks, pathways, streets, and parking lots, where you may want lights that look more like traditional street lights.
Benefits of Volta include:
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Customizable pole to meet your design specs
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Stylish appearance that blends in with the environment
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Circular distribution of light for more uniformity
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Protection against overcharging with the IP68 solar charge controllers
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Weather-resistant construction, with optical grade PMMA lenses on the LEDs
The Volta lighting system is the right choice when you need lights that blend in and look a bit more traditional while still getting all the benefits of the most advanced solar panel technology out there.
Find the Best Solar Panel Street Lights for You
Now you know just how cost-effective and beneficial solar panel street lights can be for your needs, whether in parks, parking lots, streets, pathways, freeways, and other areas. At Greenshine New Energy, we help you make solar lighting systems a reality with the most advanced technologies and solutions on the market.
Our lighting systems combine high-tech solar panels with the most energy-saving LED lights, so you get even more out of your initial investment. Our solar light systems help a range of customers that need energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions for outdoor lighting needs.
A guide on how solar-powered lights work?
In scientific terms ‘Solar Lights’ are portable light fixtures powered by the sun’s energy. These portable lights are designed with solar energy LED lights or lamps, rechargeable batteries and photo-voltaic solar panels.
To put it simply, solar means the sun and lighting refers to providing light. So, solar light refers to the light produced with the help of the sun's energy. And this sun’s energy is used to provide light for dark-lit areas, reducing the need to use artificially-produced electricity.
There are a range of benefits that follow the use of solar lights. This post is your ready-reckoner guide to help you understand how solar lights work. We will cover the concept of its application, procedure, and uses.
The life-saving alternative to fossil fuels
Solar lighting can be very useful for companies and societies that wish to use affordable lighting systems. They’re also a means to save on depleting the natural reserves used as ingredients that go into making fuel to supply artificial power to cities at large. These include charcoal, petroleum and natural gas that are sourced from fossil fuels.
In the United States, nearly 60% of total electricity generated in was produced from biomass, fossil fuels, and municipal and industrial wastes. When these fuels are burned, a number of gasses are produced that are harmful to the environment.
All power plants have a physical footprint, which refers to where the power plant is located. These power plants are most often situated inside, on, or nearby existing buildings, so the footprint is fairly small. That said, most large power plants require land clearing to build the power plant. It requires the additional construction of roads, pipelines, railroads for fuel delivery, electricity transmission lines, and cooling water supplies.
Many power plants are designed into large structures to cover their power supply solutions, but often at the cost of altering the visual landscape.
The harmful gasses and substances that are produced after fossil fuels are burned to produce electricity.
- Carbon monoxide (CO) – harmful gas for the environment
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – contributes to the greenhouse effect
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx) – attributed to ground level ozone, irritating and damaging the lungs
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2) – causes acid rain, is harmful to aquatic plants and animals. Worsens heart disease and respiratory illnesses in the children and the elderly.
- Particulate matter (PM) – causes low visibility in cities and scenic areas combined with the effect of ozone. This contributes to developing chronic conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis in the children and senior citizens.
- Heavy metals such as mercury – hazardous to human and animal health.
A Relevant Guide on How Do Solar Lights Work?
Knowing about the detrimental effects of using biomass and fossil fuels among other resources can help create awareness. Let’s look at home solar lighting that can put a stop to the use of the non-replenishable elements of mother earth.
How does Solar Power Lighting work?
Solar lights work on the concept of the photovoltaic effect. The panels installed are used to make it work by absorbing sunlight with the help of solar cells. The solar energy absorbed is converted into direct electrical current and this current is stored into solar batteries via a charge controller. This current is then used later whenever the need arises like in the night or when sunlight is at its minimum, etc.
A single solar cell can produce a maximum of 0.45 volts. The current produced is defined by the size of the cell and the extent of the sunlight that hits the solar panel.
What is the procedure by which Solar Power Lighting System works?
A solar panel is designed with multiple solar cells. In the process, a solar array is wired to join multiple panels together.
The solar cells are made from crystalline silicon, which is a semiconductor material used to produce negatively-charged electrons and positively-charged spaces. When sunlight passes through these solar cells, the photons released from the sun strike these electrons and put them into the positive spaces in the cells, making it an electrical circuit.
This leads to the formation of direct current electricity when electrons flow through such a circuit.
Solar panels are wired to the battery through a charge controller. This process helps in protecting the battery by ensuring the backflow of current does not take place. Solar cells stop this conversion rate and discontinue the production of power at night.
When there is less sunlight to convert, the photoreceptors on the light sense the insufficiency and start supplying power to the LED. The photoreceptor shuts off the light during the daytime and this process repeats itself on a daily basis.
The most common type of solar lighting is solar street lights. These lights are a compact modern form of solar lighting. They are easy to install, requiring low maintenance.
How is solar light used on a daily basis?
Solar lights are used for both outdoor and indoor purposes. Solar-powered lighting can be installed in various public as well as private sectors.
The highly used and common solar lighting includes:
Solar street light designs that are compact and lightweight. They are used in various outdoor lighting applications to light up streets, highways, gated properties, pathways, resorts, backyards, patios, lawns, pergolas, construction sites, play areas, school and college buildings, among other areas.
Solar garden lights are available in modern designs and multiple styles. These are usually decorative lights aimed at improving the aesthetic value of the garden, and to provide security and sustainability. These types of lights are used in gardens along with lawns, fences, terrace, parks, open-air restaurants, courtyard, balconies, decks, and stairs, among other areas and purposes.
Solar emergency lights are known to be a versatile fit for applications such as hiking, rescue operations, car repairs, home security, camping, fishing and other outdoor activities. These lights are applicable during power outages as they have an in-built feature to power-up electronic devices.
Solar floodlights and spotlights provide focused lighting. They are used where illumination is required in a broad-light angle. This includes areas such as vast parking lots, concert halls, boulevards, sports fields, civilian and military security installations, façade lighting, airports, manufacturing plants and architectural buildings.
Indoor solar lights are used as an alternate power source. Of course, this could be in the case of alternating between main grid power supply and generators. Indoor solar lights provide different features and are usually connected to solar panels setup on the top of the building.
