With environmental awareness at an all-time high now, more and more people are looking for ways to switch to eco-friendly lighting options. If you want to effectively reduce your carbon footprint, solar lights are the best and easiest option. Solar lights absorb energy produced by the sun and convert it into usable direct electricity. This process is known as photovoltaic effect. The energy gets stored into a rechargeable battery and powers the lights in the absence of sunlight.
Switching to solar is a significant decision and some people may get nervous about it mainly because the upfront costs are more. So, it brings us to the question above, are solar lights worth it? It is true that compared to traditional lighting, initial investment for solar lights is slightly higher. This is mainly because the components used in a solar lighting unit such as solar panel, battery, LED, controller and other parts are of exceptional quality with longer lifespan. Regardless, solar lights are worth your money and we will explain how.
- The only thing solar lights want for their operation is maximum sunlight throughout the day. They cost absolutely nothing to operate. They do not need electricity from a power grid or wire connections. So how much money can you save in the long term, you can do the math. The initial cost for a quality solar product is recovered over time as you do not need to pay anything to run the lights. You also end up saving some money towards installation charges as the lights need no trenching, cable pulling or expensive maintenance.
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Solar energy is free and is abundantly available and as long as solar panels can charge in direct sunlight, the lights will work without any problems, automatically turning on at dusk and turning off at dawn. Unlike traditional lights, solar lights do not demand any manual assistance for their operation. Since they rely on weather conditions, partial shade or overcast skies can result in a low light output. However, modern solar lights have motion sensor features and are equipped to store sufficient amount of energy to light up 2 to 3 consecutive nights.
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Modern solar-powered lighting units are completely wireless, with everything essential to run the light contained within the unit. While solar street lights, solar flood lights, solar gate lights, etc. require some minimum amount of labour for their installation on walls or posts, installation of solar garden light usually requires that you stick the attached spike into the ground. Installation of most of these solar lights can be taken up as DIY projects as long as you follow the installation guidelines. The biggest advantage is that they can be placed anywhere, urban or rural areas, for decorative or functional purposes, since they do not require a power grid connection to operate.
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Solar lighting units require little maintenance. Solar systems come with quality components that have long life expectancy. Solar panels offer a service life up to 20-25 years, the batteries last for 4 to 5 years depending on the type and solar LED bulbs have a lifetime of 50,000 hours. All they need is a quick wipe periodically to remove moisture, dirt or debris as dirty panels can affect the performance of your solar light. Replacing the battery at the end of its life is also necessary.
Earlier, a considerable drawback with solar lights was that they were not as bright as regular lights. However, the technological advancements in the solar energy sector have been making the efficiency and performance of solar lights better and better over the years. Solar street lights are being used as security lights with motion sensor and dimming features and solar garden lights are ideal for gardens and pathways to create ambiance in a garden space. Now, there are many solar lights to choose from depending on your lighting requirements. There are brighter, softer and dimmer solar lights available in the market and you can purchase your type once you decide whether you want lighting for a few hours or throughout the night.
Solar energy is an unlimited and imperishable form of energy and is available to everyone. Solar energy sector has evolved over time and has been constantly improving. Sunlight is available to everyone regardless of their socio-economical background but solar lights may seem unaffordable to a lot of people. Many solar companies are working towards making solar-powered lights accessible to everyone. There are many lights available now at reasonable prices if you would like to embrace the benefits of solar energy and make your share of contribution to a better, cleaner world.