Adequate public space lighting provides direct benefits in terms of traffic safety and personal security. Almost 300 million street lights across the world are equipped by ‘dirty’ energy sources consuming more energy from non-renewable energy sources and contributing to the consequences of global warming. Having well-illuminated streets at night makes roadside obstacles more visible to drivers and ensures safety for commercial activities and transit users.
Commercial solar street lights meet the need for various outdoor lighting applications using clean and sustainable energy. Around 20% to 40% of a city’s energy budget is being used for conventional street lighting and as per studies, solar LED street lights can reduce these figures and lower greenhouse gas emissions by over 50%. Solar LED street lights are an efficient means to power public spaces without the need for utility power.
Solar street lighting systems are beneficial for the lighting needs of parking lots and parks as they help to illuminate signs, pavilions and trails. Many airports are powered with solar LED lights at their runways for safe aircraft operations. Stadiums can also be powered with commercial solar street lights to provide high power lighting during cricket or football matches at night. Solar street lights are also being placed on national highways, port terminals, truck rest points, warehouses, industrial and construction sites, campuses, rural areas and other municipal applications.
Since solar street lights are independent of the grid and with no electricity cost, they can be installed easily in a remote street or highway where there is no access to grid electricity. Commercial solar lights require no external wires or trenching for their installation and need only minimal upkeep. Therefore, installation and maintenance costs will be lower when compared to conventional street lights.
Storage capacity of solar LED lighting system is exceptional and can illuminate continuously for 2 to 3 days depending on the efficiency of the system. Industrial and commercial spaces require a large amount of electricity throughout the night and solar energy can reduce the monthly energy costs without polluting the environment. Solar street lights provide reliable lighting regardless of the climate and automatically turn on and off sensing sunset and sunrise.
Solar street lights with 30 or 40 Watt LED are typically used for commercial applications. When compared to conventional lights, the initial investment for commercial solar street lights is high but considering the long-term benefits and the long warranty the components offer, you will save money in terms of operation, installation and maintenance costs.
All in one solar street lights with motion sensors can be used in areas where ongoing illumination is not needed for the entire duration of the night as they glow up to full brightness only when a motion is detected and dim the brightness down to 20% if there is no infrared waves radiated from moving objects. All in one solar lights are popular for their compact design where all the components are integrated into one single unit.
Commercial areas with less people activity after midnight can opt for another model of all in one solar street lights where they operate at maximum brightness for the first few hours and then work at a lower level until the crack of dawn. Both these models guarantee long battery life due to the energy-saving motion sensor and dimming features and are compatible in all climates.
Integrated solar street lights have the luminary and battery as a single unit and the solar panels come as a separate unit. This is an advantage during overcast weather as bigger solar panels can be used to run integrated solar street lights which can help the lights to charge faster. Since it comes as an independent unit, the direction of the solar panel can be adjusted according to the direction of sunlight while fixing it.
Public spaces where night-long illumination is demanded, integrated street lights that operate at full brightness from dusk to dawn can be used. Another model of integrated solar street lights works in a timer-based manner where they run at 100% brightness in the first few hours and then dim down the brightness for the rest of the night. This feature makes these lights more energy efficient as the charge lasts for a longer period of time, extending the battery life.
Commercial solar street light designs are sleek and lightweight which makes it easy to transport and install them. Due to their compact design, they can be effortlessly installed onto poles or walls. The LED technology used delivers higher lumen brightness with lesser energy consumption. Monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panels are used with a minimum lifespan of 25 to 30 years. Commercial street lights use lithium or LiFePO4 batteries that charge at a faster rate with upper and lower voltage protection and are maintenance free unlike lead acid batteries used in traditional lights.
Modern commercial solar street lights are an affordable and sustainable alternative to the grid-connected street lights. There are no underground infrastructure costs as the light installation does not require any cable laying or excavation and year-long lighting performance is guaranteed without any monthly payments. Most often, authorities and civic sources hesitate to implement outdoor lighting systems due to budgetary restrictions. Since solar energy is free and available in abundance, solar LED street light is a good long-term investment.
Commercial solar street lights operate automatically with dusk to dawn feature and do not need any type of manual intervention to switch on or switch off the lights. The lights should be installed in a shadow-free area where the panels can receive direct sunlight throughout the day. Dust, debris, snow and moisture can obstruct the energy production and reduce the overall efficiency of the solar street light unit. To increase the brightness of the lights and for better longevity of the components, occasional inspection, servicing and cleaning must be carried out.
Commercial solar street lights linked with remote management technology simplifies urban planning as this system helps to adjust the settings of the solar light system remotely. Solar street light poles can also act as charging spots for electronic devices, buttons for emergency services and give provision for digital displays, thereby offering an integrated platform of services to the community around. The solar energy industry is growing steadily and with technological advancements, solar panel efficiency and performance are only bound to get better and solar street lighting applications will be more affordable and accessible to everyone.