The Bright Future of Solar Lighting

28 May

The Bright Future of Solar Lighting

 

Solar power is an appealing source of energy, considering that it is widely available and sustainable. However, only two percent of the world’s electricity is derived from solar as of 2018. In the past, the production of solar energy has been costly and fairly ineffective.

 

Good thing, new technological advancements over the past years have propelled this growing reliance on solar by lowering costs. Technological innovations also aim to expand the use of solar by further decreasing costs and improving the efficiency of solar panels.

 

The Importance of Solar Lights

 

Although there are many uses for solar power, solar lighting is one of the most prominent. Large electrical products need high energy levels to operate. This means that it needs large solar panels to collect appropriate energy from the sun.

On the other hand, solar street lighting does not require large sources of energy and can thus be operated off much smaller panels. They provide a higher level of functionality and flexibility since the solar panels can be integrated into the lighting system.

 

The magnificence of solar lighting is that you can use it often and virtually any time without any cost except for the initial purchase. Direct sunlight is not even required to charge the batteries.  With advanced technology, new models of solar lights can charge even on a cloudy day.

 

Solar lights are well designed for outdoor usage, removing the need for risky electrical wiring. Excellent placement means maximum charging and the light turns on as the sun sets. While more extensive circuitry is required, solar lighting can also be used for interior lighting.

 

Key Features

 

A modern solar street light has embedded solar panel, inbuilt lithium-ion batteries, battery management system, night and motion sensors as well as automatic controls. The fully automatic device comes with LEDs, inbuilt and replaceable Lithium-ion battery and passive infrared (PIR) sensors. A typical solar street light is weather-proof and water-resistant, has low insect attraction rate and low glare and has a longer life.

The embedded solar panel converts solar power into electrical energy which is stored in the inbuilt battery, and used for dusk-to-dawn lighting operations. The main innovation of modern solar street lights is the battery management system which is facilitated by the presence of night and motion sensors.

During the first 3 hours of night, the system works at average lumens brightness. Subsequently, the intensity of the light reduces till dawn or until PIR sensor is activated by human movement. When people are within a certain radius away from the light, it automatically turns to its full brightness. This smart feature makes solar street lights device a perfect combination of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Solar powered lights have been tried and successfully tested in a wide variety of domestic and commercial applications. The device is well-suited for lighting up streets, courtyards, gardens, parks, compounds, boundary walls, car parks etc. in an eco-friendly and cost-effective manner.

 

Unending Benefits

 

Due to off-grid nature of solar street lights, solar street lights incur minimal operational costs. Such lights are wireless in nature and are independent of the utility company. Compared to conventional street lights, solar street lights require almost zero maintenance. Due to the absence of external wires, these lights do not pose any threat of accidents like electrocution, strangulation and overheating. In fact, solar lights illuminate the streets throughout the night irrespective of power cuts and grid failures.

 

Solar street lights are a delight for environmentalists around the world as it can provide significant lowering of carbon footprint of individuals, homes and businesses. In other words, solar-powered lights are a perfect green lighting solution. In terms of cost, solar street lights are a better investment than conventional street lights if the capital as well as O&M costs are considered.

 

Efficiency and Luminance

 

In terms of visibility, solar-powered lights closely simulate the sunlight as they have built-in LEDs. These LED lights give you the option to alter the CRI or color rendering index into the color of light that you desire. This improves visibility at night.

 

Lifespan

 

Traditional lights last for approximately an average of 5,000 to 8000 hours or less than a year of usage whereas solar LED lights can live for 5 to 7 years. This notion always puts solar-powered lights ahead of the conventional lights.

 

Reliability

 

Solar street lights depend less on conventional energy and the national grid. For dusk to dawn lighting operations, solar products are totally reliable. Their off-grid nature equates to almost zero maintenance and low operational costs. Through the power cuts and grid disruption, these lights remain illuminated.

 

Good Impact on the Environment

 

Solar street lights pose no threat to the environment and its people. No fire can be ignited due to a lack of electrical wirings. In addition to that, accidents such as strangulation, overheating, and electrocution will never take place as well. They give off a lower quantity of carbon footprint than that of the traditional lights; thereby, making them eco-friendly.

 

 

 

 

Maintenance

 

How do you increase the performance of a modern smart solar street lamp? Manage your lights remotely using a software solution. Observe which hours the pedestrian frequency peaks and drops. Once known, adjust the lighting schedules of solar lights accordingly.

 

How do they work day and night? Solar cells in the PV panels of a solar street light convert the heat of the sun (solar energy) to electricity (electrical energy). Afterward, the solar energy is stored in the rechargeable battery. When the dark starts crawling in, solar lights operate using the energy stored in the battery. The few things that make solar in need of maintenance are these: maintenance of the smart battery control systems, minor preventive maintenance, assessment of design, and performance.

 

Weather-Proof Lights

 

Lastly, one of the major concerns in choosing a street light is its durability. How can it stand still amidst the storm? Solar street lamps are weather-proof and water-proof. It’s not a problem if they do not receive sunlight for a few days, they can utilize the rest of the stored solar energy converted into electrical energy.

 

Today, lights with smart technology are in demand. There is no doubt that they can provide more than what is needed by users. Solar street lights also encourage activities such as walking, cycling, going to parks, etc. They increase the productivity of people and visibility at night.