What are solar street lights? (usage and benefits)

What are solar street lights? (usage and benefits)

Solar street light are revolutionizing our approach to lighting by utilizing the power of the sun. These panels capture sunlight and convert it into electricity, offering a clean and renewable energy source for lighting systems. This sustainable and cost-effective alternative to traditional lighting reduces energy bills and lowers carbon emissions. Al Sabah General Electric is at the forefront of solar street light technology, providing cutting-edge solutions for residential and commercial lighting needs. Adopting solar street light marks a move towards a greener and more energy-efficient future. This article delves into the influence and potential of solar street light in modern lighting.

How do Solar Light Panels Work?

Solar lights operate using photovoltaic (PV) cells, which capture sunlight and generate an electrical charge that flows through the panel. Wires from the solar cell connect to a battery, which converts and stores the power as chemical energy for later use.

The stored energy powers an LED (light-emitting diode) bulb. The diode is a semiconductor that enables electrons to move between its two points, producing electromagnetic energy in the form of light during dark hours.

LED technology is up to 90% more efficient than incandescent and fluorescent lighting, making it well-suited for solar lighting systems. Instead of burning out like traditional bulbs, LED bulbs gradually dim over time, but their lifespan is significantly longer: tens of thousands of hours compared to just 1,000 hours for an incandescent bulb or 3,000 hours for a halogen bulb.

Different Forms and Applications of Solar Lighting

Solar lighting sales have taken off in response to the global demand for less carbon-intensive energy sources and as a strategy for increasing energy resilience in the face of extreme weather and other natural disasters that leave centralized power systems vulnerable.3 It is also helping to meet the energy needs of developing regions where connection to a centralized electricity grid is difficult or impossible. 

Solar lighting provides cheap, attractive, low-maintenance illumination for homes, businesses, and public infrastructure while reducing the environmental impact. When we think about solar lighting, there are two broad categories: indoor and outdoor solar lights.

Here are a few of the many solar lighting uses:

  • Street and Parking Lights
  • Traffic Lights
  • Solar Sign Lights
  • Solar Floodlights

What are 5 Major Advantages of Solar Street Light?

  1. Eco-Friendly Alternative
  2. Installations that are Secure
  3. Cost-Effective Solution
  4. No Energy Bills
  5. Maintenance-Free

Various Types of Solar Street Light

1. CFL Solar Street light: The solar CFL street light has a high luminous efficiency, which makes it very popular in the market due to its brightness and low operating costs. The fact that the costs have fallen down since a few years ago also contributes to the appeal.

2. Solar LED solar street light: Solar LED Street Light is available in both custom and standard configurations. One of the primary benefits of these lights is their ease of installation and the use of highly refractive acrylic fittings.

3. Flood Solar Street light: Solar flood street lights provide the most coverage and have the highest brightness. They are the greatest options for covering a bigger area with fewer light units.

4. All-purpose Street light: All-purpose Street light is simple to install because it does not require any cables. These run on an energy-efficient lithium battery and are one of the lightest versions of solar streetlights available.

What are the Uses of Solar Street Light?

Solar street lighting is becoming increasingly popular for obvious reasons. One key factor is long-term cost savings, and the other is efficient lighting. The solar light system, as the name implies, turns solar energy into electricity. It is simple to install and produces high-intensity LED light. It is not necessary to manually turn on or off the solar light. These lights function automatically from night till morning. Let’s discuss the essential uses of solar street light.

1. Airport Lighting

2. Lighting for Highways and Roads

3. Lighting in Parks and Playgrounds

4. Commercial and Industrial Lighting

5. Lighting for Outdoor Security

Drawbacks of Solar Street Light

  • Substantial Upfront Cost

The input cost is one of the factors. The initial expenditure on a solar street light is substantial. According to a survey, the overall cost of installing a solar street light is three or four times the cost of installing a standard street light of the same effectiveness.

  • Storage Battery Service Life

In general, a common storage battery cannot be fully charged in one year or even half a year. Some of them may have a practical charge efficiency of 50%, which will undoubtedly affect the lighting condition at night during continuous rainy days. As a result, when installing a solar street light, it is critical to use a high-quality battery.

  • Choosing the Solar Charge Controller

The quality of solar charge controllers available in the market can vary widely. While the cost of the controller represents a small part of the total expense, it plays a crucial role in the functionality of the light.

  • Inadequate Conversion Efficiency

Solar panels have a conversion efficiency of around 15% to 19%. In theory, silicon solar panels have a conversion efficiency of up to 25%. This efficiency, however, will be modified by the structures surrounding the solar street light.

  • Geographical and Weather Conditions

Because solar power comes from the sun, geographical and meteorological factors have a direct impact on the lighting state of the solar street light. Continuous gloomy and rainy days will have an impact on illumination, resulting in illuminance or brightness that falls short of the national requirement. Worse, the solar street light does not work.

Conclusion

Al Sabah General Electric excels in providing advanced solar lighting solutions that cater to a wide range of needs. The company offers high-quality solar lights for various applications, such as streetlights, traffic lights, and emergency floodlights. These solar-powered products provide efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective lighting options that contribute to improved safety and convenience. 

Al Sabah's solar lights boast features like motion sensors, automatic controls, and lithium-ion batteries for reliable, long-lasting performance. Their commitment to innovation ensures customers receive the latest technology for optimal lighting results. Additionally, their focus on energy efficiency and low maintenance requirements makes their solar lighting systems an excellent choice for residential, commercial, and public spaces.


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