If you have read any of the other posts on this site, you likely know how fond I am of  solar lighting. Be that as it may, it is important that you understand the benefits (and drawbacks) of both. The last thing I want you to do is go out and buy a bunch of solar lights that are not going to work for you, just based on my assertion that they are the best thing since sliced bread.

This site is filled with posts showing the benefits of solar outdoor garden lights, so I am not going to go into them in too much depth, but I did want to touch on them a bit. The first benefit is obviously that they are powered by sunlight as opposed to electricity. While this is their biggest advantage, concurrently it can also be their biggest pitfall.

A solar lighting system  does not use electricity

It means that it cost literally nothing to run as long as the solar powered lights get enough sun to keep their built in batteries charged. They will turn off during the day and turn back on at night. They will stay on all night, until they detect morning sunshine. This makes them easy to forget about until you go out in the dark and see them lit (or trip over one while gardening).

The “pitfall” in all this is that if you do not get enough sunlight, they will not work. Most solar garden lights have pretty efficient solar panels, so they can collect a pretty decent charge during overcast days. But some areas around the world are just dark and gloomy all the time. These are just not the best places to use a solar lighting system.

Solar lights need to be able to charge to full capacity from time to time or the batteries’ life is reduced. If you plan to place them in the shade (like under a bush or something), make sure you get a fixture that has a remote panel that you can mount in a location where it will get enough sunlight.

Another point to consider is the bulbs themselves. Most solar powered garden lights use LEDs as their source of illumination. While this makes them virtually maintenance free, they are not quite as bright as other types of garden lighting. LEDs are manufactured to last for a very long time. Usually, the fixture itself will wear out before the bulbs do. They are also much more efficient. Incandescent bulbs convert energy into two things: light and heat. LEDs do a much better job of converting the energy into light, and create very little heat.

That said, they are still not quite as bright (except solar flood lights) as other types of landscape lighting. This is due to the fact that they must focus on staying lit for 10-12 hours on a single charge. That longevity comes at a cost – they cannot be as bright.

Low Voltage Lighting

Low voltage landscape lighting also has its good and bad points. The good thing about them is that they will work anywhere that you have something to plug them into. Contrary to a solar lighting system You don’t really need to worry about whether or not you get enough sun to charge the batteries, because they do not have them.

That being said, they are also much more difficult to install. Some people will just dig a small trench where they are going to run the wires and lay the wires in the trench. I do not recommend this. If you are going to go through the trouble of installing low voltage landscape lighting, I recommend that you spend a couple of dollars to buy some PVC pipes, glue, and fittings. Use the pipe as a wiring conduit. This will protect the wires from being gnawed on by pests and being accidentally cut with a gardening tool.

Another benefit of using low voltage lighting in your garden is that they work well for areas that need a lot of light. They do not really need to be too concerned with being super efficient, because they do not have batteries that drain. That also come at a cost, and with these lights, the cost is directly related to your pocket book. They will have an impact on your energy bill.

Hybrid Systems

Hybrid systems for landscape lighting do exist. A hybrid system uses primarily solar power and supplements it with low voltage electricity when the solar batteries run low. The biggest problems here are price and installation. You still need to run electrical wires with this kind of system. You also need to have a voltage sensor and relay system that detects when the batteries are running low, so it can start using electricity. While this obviously solves some of the problems associated with both solar and low voltage systems, they are not yet popular enough to be priced at a range that is comfortable for most people who are just looking to add some lights to their garden.

The Verdict

What do I recommend? I think that if you live in an area that gets plenty of sunlight throughout the year, and you do not need a TON of light, solar lights are the way to go. If you think about it, there are not many applications where you need a lot of light. Read through some of the articles on this site and you will find many applications where a solar lighting system works wonderfully. I think the two areas where they do not work as well as low voltage lights are floodlights and spotlights. Floodlights are still very bright, however, if used as a motion detector light. In this case, the lights are not using a lot of power because they only turn on a few times a night (at most), for a minute or so each time.

If you need lights that are just too bright for solar lighting to facilitate, or if you live in an area that does not get much sunlight, low voltage lights might be what you need. Be careful with the usage though. I would recommend having them on a timer to allow them to run only at certain times of the evening. Leaving them on all night long could cost you more than a few dollars.

Have I forgotten anything? Well, here you have it then. Solar lighting system vs. low voltage lighting. Which way will you go?

Overview of solar garden lights

Solar garden lighting is becoming more popular over time. There are several reasons for this growth in popularity. One of the main draws is that solar lighting is environmentally friendly.

The conversion of sunlight to electrical energy releases no CO2 compared to traditional electricity production.

Most electrical power is supplied via coal or gas power stations; which releases a lot of CO2 into the environment. These gases are one of the main driving forces behind mankind speeding up the process of global warming.

Another reason why solar lighting is gaining popularity is that it can save you money. The fact that these lights are powered by the sun means that you only need to pay the initial purchase price.
There are no ongoing costs to power the lights. This is a fact that appeals to a lot of consumers; whether they are environmentally conscious or not.

Advantages of solar garden lights

Solar lights usually run on LEDs; this means that they won’t blow out like a traditional bulb. They can last a very long time (up to 10 years in some cases). As mentioned before they virtually have no running costs and are environmentally friendly.

Disadvantages of solar lighting

Depending on the amount of daylight you get the brightness sometime isn’t as good as traditionally wired lights. The mechanism that powers the solar garden lights is also susceptible to becoming less effective. If dirt covers the solar receptor then the amount of sunlight converted to energy will be less.

Overview of wired electrical lighting

This is the traditional form of lighting that is used for permanent garden lights. They usually run on a low voltage basis for safety reasons. Most people still prefer these lights due to the familiarity/comfort of them.

Advantages of wired electrical lighting

These lights are traditional and can add value to your garden/property when it comes to resale. As these are more common than outdoor solar lights, buyers usually like to stick with what they know.

Disadvantages of wired electrical lighting

You have to pay for the continued running cost of wired electrical lighting. Every time you turn them on it is costing you money. This is not the case with solar garden lights. There is also the fact that the bulbs will blow out and need replaced on a semi-regular basis. Also because they are wired and connect to your home’s main electrical supply there is danger involved. If an untrained individual makes a mistake when wiring up garden lights it could have negative consequences.

This article was written by Peter McAllister who works for SGM a supplier of garden machinery. They sell equipment such as aerators and second hand lawn mowers

While our primary focus is on solar lighting, we believe that solar energy is the best alternative for eventually replacing fossil fuels.

That is why, when our friends at sunrunhome.com asked us if we would like to post one of their infographics to our site… well, how could we refuse?

So, without further ado, here is a guest post from Sunrun, complete with infographic

Solar panel technology has changed little since it’s inception in 1894. Certain refinements have increased output and produced higher efficiency, while the technology surrounded battery technology has improved our ability to store the energy collected.

The technology for solar has made it a reasonable alternative to other forms of power, in terms of investment, for some time now. There have even been federal incentive programs since the 1950’s in attempt to encourage Americans to create their own power and soften the impact on the grid.

What has really changed is the cost per watt in comparison to the cost of competitive renewable and non-renewable energies.

This is true with every technology. The more we make, the cheaper it gets. The cheaper it gets, the more likely it’s going to be used by the largest number of people. More importantly, the cheaper it gets, the more available it is to the average entrepreneur to enter the market.

From our humble beginnings of discovery in 1839, to the now burgeoning market for inexpensive, easily available solar, we’ve come along way to parity.

Advantages of leasing solar panels

And now, with so many solar companies offering lease programs, the cost of installing solar on your home or business has dropped so significantly, it can often be purchased with little or no money down. Now that is incentive.

Infographic by Sun Run

Thanks, guys, for the awesome contribution!

Hybrid solar lighting is the new buzzword in the energy sector

Unlike standard solar lights, hybrid solar lighting is relatively new and uses a combination of technologies. Conventional solar lights use solar energy and convert it into electrical energy to light the bulb. In the newer version, the sunlight is mirrored indoors using a collector and optical light cables. When there is enough sunlight, there is no electricity used to power the bulbs. On a not-so-sunny day, the electricity generated by the solar energy is used to light the bulbs.

Hybrid solar lighting technology has been in use for some years now but because of the prohibitively high cost it was relatively unheard of. Solar lights are more affordable and hence they took off faster. However, with much technological advancement taking place in the recent past, hybrid solar lighting now looks to be more attractive; at least for commercial uses. The cost has come down with the global positioning system becoming more affordable and getting the computer accessories manufactured at cheaper price.

The hybrid solar system works in a unique manner. The core part of the lighting system is the light collector, which receives and collects the sunlight. Needless to mention, the collector is large and round in shape to enable maximum surface area for the sunlight to fall upon. For those of you who have not seen a solar light collector, it looks similar to a satellite TV dish except that it is larger in size. The collector cells or surfaces are all mirrored to enhance the collection efforts.

The collectors used in hybrid solar lighting systems have an interface with the global positioning system. The GPS helps in tracking the sun from sunrise to sunset. The hybrid solar lighting system works on the simple principle to capture as much sunlight as possible. In order to maximize the capturing, the sunlight is diverted to the center of the dish through mirroring. At the center of the dish, there are numerous optical cables ready to gather the sunrays. A filter is also provided to filter off the harmful UV rays present in the sunlight.

The captured sun rays pass through the optical fiber provided and is taken to the inner parts of the building. The receptor dish is positioned at the roof of the building. As the light rays pass through the optical cable, the intensity decreases and hence it is important to capture much more light than what is required for lighting the building. As light travels through the optical cables, there are special fixtures that diffuse the sunlight into all directions.
The fixture resembles a conventional incandescent bulb but the difference is that the light coming through the fixtures of the hybrid solar lighting system is direct sunlight. There are also fixtures that can detect the position of the sun. When the intensity of the sunrays diminishes (for example, when the sun hides behind the clouds), these sensors will prompt the lighting fixture to derive power from electricity. The intelligent functioning of the lighting system ensures that there is a constant supply of light inside the building.

There are many advantages to hybrid solar lighting

Solar lights became popular because they helped in keeping the environment green. In hybrid lighting, unlike solar lights, there is no change in energy form. Direct sunlight is used for lighting. This helps in reducing the heat produced from light bulbs, especially when compared to incandescent bulbs. Also when compared to fluorescent lights, the hybrid lights produce a full spectrum of light. The full spectrum light is better for the human eye it is actually the sunlight, which is channeled indoors. Colors are seen better when viewed in full spectrum eye and reduces the stress on human eyes.

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Solar lights use photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy into electrical energy. These cells are capable of converting only 15 percent of the solar energy into electricity whereas the hybrid solar lighting system uses almost 50 percent of the sunlight falling on the collector dish. This definitely provides for a better efficient system since there is maximum utilization of energy. By providing a single collector of four feet size, an area of 10,000 square feet can be lit up. Since the heat produced is lesser, there is also lesser use of air conditioning system inside the building, which again goes on to conserving energy.

The downside of hybrid solar lighting system is that it can currently be used for single story buildings only. In addition, since it is still expensive, it is more viable for commercial uses rather than for residential purposes. Lot of research is still happening and there is a positive trend in the use of renewable sources of energy. Considering the benefits and the market trend, one can safely assume that hybrid solar lighting is the future of solar lights.

The most common use for solar lighting in this area is for street lights.  Many cities around the United States and around the world have begun replacing standard street lights with solar versions.  Not only do they reduce the municipality’s energy usage, but solar street lights require less maintenance than the traditional styles. More info

Picture this: You come to a busy street corner that you would like to cross.  You press a “walk” button at the intersection.  Warning beacons flash to let oncoming traffic know that they need to yield to you; road marker lights along the crosswalk light and flash and a yellow “pedestrian crossing” sign lights up as well.  There is no doubt in the minds of the nearby motorists as to your intentions.  You can now safely cross the street with little concern about not being seen.

The backbone of their solar crosswalk lights is their “LumiStar” road marker light

This is a bidirectional solar powered marker light that is installed in the pavement.  They are very bright and have a line of sight visibility of a minimum of 1,000 feet.  They are equipped with solar panels that charge their internal batteries, are completely wireless, and are activated by 2.4 GHz frequency controller.  A fully charged battery holds enough charge to activate the lights for 30-60 days, depending upon the amount of usage.

The LumiSign XB Warning Sign is an advanced pedestrian crossing sign that can be controlled by the same controller as the road markers and can be placed up to 1000 feet away from the crosswalk. It is also solar powered and can be set up to flash in sync with the roadway markers.

Silicon Constellations also offers a solar warning beacon as part of their arsenal.  Their warning beacon comes in two basic designs: single and dual lamp designs. The single lamp design can be set to sync with the road markers and warning sign or to flash with any pattern you may wish.  The dual lamp design can be programmed for alternate flashing, which sends a much more powerful message to nearby motorists.

The heart of the system is the controller.  The activator/controller from Silicon Constellations is a completely self contained unit.  Like the rest of the system, it is solar powered and wireless.  The controller is usually pole mounted, but it can be mounted to a wall in situations where that might be more practical.  It is weather proof, yet the internal mechanisms are easily accessible for maintenance.  The unit can control the other parts of the system up to 1000 feet away (line of sight) and is maintenance free for a minimum of five years.

All in all, the system is very reliable, and since it is solar powered, it is extremely energy efficient.  Since each piece is self contained and wireless, there is very little construction or demolition involved in installation. In fact, most configurations can be installed in as little as one day.  Using these components, the possible configurations are almost endless and everything is completely programmable.  They even offer active pedestrian detection and voice modules.

There is no doubt that solar crosswalk lights are a great addition to the public safety sector.  As solar technology continues to grow, we will see even more uses for municipal solar lighting.

For more information about Silicon Constellations and their solar crosswalk lighting solutions, you can visit their website at www.silicon-constellations.com

Here is a quick video I made of their system in action

• Carmanah is a leading manufacturer of commercial solar lighting for aviation, marine, traffic. You can find them Here
• Inovus solar street lights use flexible, thin-film solar wrap instead of flat panels. Very interesting concept. Click Here for more info

There are a number of companies that are leading the way for commercial solar lighting. One of those companies is Solar Cynergy. “Solar Cynergy manufactures high end architectural solar LED lighting for homes, developments and cities” as well as “an OEM line of Solar Photovoltaic Panels.” They are primarily a manufacturer and have distributors nation wide. Their product line is pretty unique in that they specialize in “solar inground lighting”. Their solar lights have been used in the Las Vegas Panorama Towers Luxury Condominium Project, the Granite Gables development project in Dallas, TX , and at the San Francisco Airport Hilton, to name just a few. I suggest visiting their website and blog to see all of the unique ways they use solar lighting technology.

Another company that specializes in industrial solar lights is clean-energies.org. They offer complete, tun-key solutions for solar lighting. They are mostly pole-mounted lights that come with everything except the pole. You can choose to supply the pole yourself, or have them quote you a separate price for the pole. These units can be used for: street lighting, area lighting, dock lights, lighting billboards, park lighting, parking lot lighting, walkway lighting, transit lighting, security lighting, etc.

If you are looking for a company that manufactures and sells a wide variety of commercial solar lights, solar flood lights and solar spot lights, you could do worse than taking a look at Clean Energies Store. These guys are international and widely respected. Take a look at their site. It’s a big site with lots of info.

LED Solar Street Lights

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As these companies are providing us with the opportunity to use solar power for more and more applications, researchers are working harder than ever to further solar technology to be cheaper to manufacture and be more efficient. At the University of Washington, a team of experts headed by David Ginger has been experimenting with manufacturing solar cells out of organic plastic polymers. Paul Berger and his team of researchers has found that adding silver nanoparticles to the polymers allows for an almost 12% increase in their efficiency.

Meanwhile at the University of Texas, Brian Korgel and his team are working on a Solar Ink, that can be basically painted onto buildings. Innovalight, a company out of Sunnyvale, CA. is using silicon ink patterned on top of silicon wafers to boost the efficiency of solar cells. While most researches are aiming for a goal of 10% efficiency out of their solar cells, Innovalight boasts an efficiency rating of 18%!

As you can see, we have come a long way with solar technology in a relatively short period of time. Entire homes and businesses are being solar powered and solar lights are everywhere. It will not be long before we will no longer be dependent on fossil fuels for our home and business energy needs.

Artificial lighting accounts for the largest percentage of electricity use in commercial buildings in the United States. Hybrid solar lighting provides a promising new way to reduce energy consumption while also delivering increased benefits associated with natural lighting in commercial buildings.

Hybrid solar lighting contributes to meeting the requirements set by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for renewable energy consumption by the federal government to be not less than 3% in FY 2007–2009, 5% in FY 2010–2012, and 7.5% in 2013 and thereafter.

The technology behind hybrid solar lights was originally developed for fluorescent lighting applications but recently has been enhanced to work with many other applications. One of those applications is to replace incandescent accent-lighting sources, such as the parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) lamps commonly used in retail spaces. Many commercial building owners—specifically retailers—use the low-efficiency PAR lamps because of their desirable optical properties and positive impact on sales. Yet the use of this inefficient lighting results in some retailers’ spending 55–70% of their energy budgets on lighting-related energy costs.

Hybrid solar lights have the potential to greatly reduce energy consumption while also maintaining or exceeding lighting quality requirements. Implementation of the hybrid solar lighting technology across the U.S. would significantly increase energy savings to the country and would provide building owners with a higher quality, energy-efficient, and economically viable alternative to incandescent lamps. Artificial lighting accounts for almost a quarter of the energy consumed in commercial buildings and 10–20% of energy consumed by industry. Solar lights can significantly reduce artificial lighting costs in many commercial and industrial buildings and in institutional facilities such as schools, libraries, and hospitals.

Future research and development is aimed at increasing the performance and reliability of solar lighting technology as well as extending the application of these systems to work with newly emerging solid-state lighting sources. Hybrid solar lights deliver the benefits of natural lighting with the advantages of an electric lighting system – flexibility, convenience, reliability, and control – while saving energy and money and helping to reduce the demand for non-renewable energy sources.

For more information about Hybrid Solar Lighting technology, you may want to check out the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. They earned the Excellence in Technology Transfer Award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer in 2007, an R&D 100 Award and a Southeast Region Federal Laboratory Consortium Award during 2006.