Category Archives: Solar Lighting
Still Not Convinced about Solar Lighting?
There has never been a better time than now to take advantage of the numerous benefits of solar power. Many countries have made solar power affordable, cost effective, providing a 10% return on investment and in many cases solar power will pay for itself almost instantly.
The utilization of solar lighting has never offered more benefits than now. Not only can the installation of solar power pay for itself almost instantly, but given the current world political climate and the threat of terrorist actions to disrupt cheap oil supplies make it very prudent.
In the state of California the cost of solar power in 1978 was well over $300 per watt. Today, with incentives offered by the state, that price has now dropped to less than $6 per watt- a staggering 98% reduction in cost of solar energy.
In addition to the reduction in cost of installing a solar power system, your home’s value increases $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills- this according to the National Appraisal Institute.
Therefore, installing a solar power system in your home costing $16,000 would increase you home’s value by $17,520. That’s a net gain of $1520 the day you install the system.
On April 25, 1950 Bell Laboratories introduced the first silicon solar cell. Bell called its invention “The first successful device (solar cell) to convert useful amounts of the sun’s energy directly into electricity.” The NY Times heralded it as “The beginning of a New Era, leading eventually to the realization of one of mankind’s most cherished dreams-The harnessing of the almost limitless energy of the sun for uses of civilization.”
99% of the world’s energy comes from sunlight or solar energy. Everyday enough free sunlight energy falls on the Earth to supply our energy needs for 4-5 years at our present rate of consumption. At the equator, the Sun provides 1000 Watts per square meter on the Earth’s surface.
The amount of solar energy we take today in no way diminishes the amount we can take tomorrow or any time in the future.
For more information on how you can gain from the many benefits of solar energy, visit http://www.sourcetecenergy.com/.
More Solar Lighting
Solar lights are really easy to install in your garden. All you have to do is to decide on the site you want to lit and stick the fixture in the ground. Best of all they don’t need electricity.
Some will come with a small built in solar panel on the top; other will have a removable panel that you can place at a sunny and convenient location. During the day the solar panel linked to an electronic circuit, charges the batteries. When night begins to falls a photocell detects the changes in luminosity and switch on the light. At sunrise the light switches off and the charging cycle starts again. Assuming the batteries are fully charged, good quality solar lights will provide illumination all night long without any problem. NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) or NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) Batteries are often used in solar lighting applications. They will last 2 or 3 years and are easily replaceable.
Most modern solar lights use LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology. Contrary to usual light bulbs, LED’s power consumption is very low, thus providing more lighting time. In addition, LED’s are very reliable and can last a very long time.
Maintenance wise, the only thing required is to clean the solar panel once in a while. Regularly removing the build up dust with a soft cloth, will guarantee optimum performance.
Do not expect solar garden lights to deliver an extremely bright luminosity. Their main purpose is to create a pleasant atmosphere at night. Very nice accent lighting can be obtained when the lights are well located.
Solar garden lights can be found in a multitude of designs and for many purposes.
In addition to the simple and common fixture, you can find for example floating solar lights for swimming pools or ponds, solar deck lights, solar pathway lights.
For more information on how you can gain from the many benefits of solar energy, visit http://www.sourcetecenergy.com/.
Solar Light Your Yard
Outdoor residential lighting can serve many purposes. Practical purposes include allowing persons entering your residence after dark to see where they are going. Residential lighting also helps to prevent burglaries. Aesthetically, outdoor residential lighting placed strategically in your garden can bring out the beauty of your garden and your house. Residential lighting also serves to lengthen the time you spend outdoors entertaining or playing by illuminating your outdoor gatherings.
Tips:
- Hire a professional to install the wiring to avoid hazards associated with faulty wiring.
- Install the lights where they will have the maximum effect. Like along the pathways to light walk routes. A lightened water feature can be very attractive.
- Do not over do the residential lighting or it will likely have the opposite effect.
- In residential lighting, the lights should not be the focus of the decor but the features that are being lightened.
- Hide the lighting system behind plants or garden features.
- Use soft lights bright lights can be disturbing.
- Residential lighting should be resistant to the elements
Types of Lights
Solar lights: A Solar light is the easiest and safest residential lighting to install and use. There are a variety of styles and designs of solar lights. A solar light can be used where ever regular residential lights are used. A solar light is safer than an electrically wired light as solar lights do not have wiring. They use a photocell, which charges a battery during the day. The battery in turn works the light at night. Solar lights work well where the power supply is inaccessible. A solar light does however require unobstructed sunlight to charge their batteries. Once charged the batteries can keep the lights lit for up to 15 hours.
Patio or Deck Lights: Candles can be used as patio lights, especially citronella candles that keep bugs at bay. Safely installed Tiki torches can also be used to provide lighting on your patio. If you use electrical lights choose their location carefully. Lights at the wrong level can shine into your guests faces. You can recess the lights, have lights on posts or install accent lights. Choose a style that is functional for your style and function.
Tier, Path and Accent Lights: This kind of lighting allows your garden to look beautiful and enchanting all year round. These residential lighting fixtures are normally low-voltage lights which are easily installed, affordable, and double the amount of lighting, which could potentially make the outdoor feel safer.
There are kits available that allow you to install your own residential lighting fixtures, but if you have any doubt call a professional. Poorly installed lights lead to disappointing results and can present a potential hazard.
For more information on how you can gain from the many benefits of solar energy, visit http://www.sourcetecenergy.com/.
Solar Lighting
At a time when municipalities and states are scrambling to meet budget requirements, the high cost of outdoor lighting becomes a serious issue.
Reducing this energy consumption saves electricity costs and increases renewable energy demand. With many states enacting plans to rely more heavily on renewable energy, solar lighting is one avenue to meet these goals. It’s also handy for remote construction and work crews who depend on diesel-powered generators for electricity.
Solar lights can replace any outdoor lighting from a household’s porch light to a streetlight to a road sign or billboard spotlight. At the University of California and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, solar panels on top of parking lot shelters light up the areas at night. Bus shelters and public parking lots in Florida and San Diego are lit using solar panels.
If you’ve driven down a mountain highway recently, you may have noticed road signs with a little black box perched on top. That solar panel box charges during the day, and lights the sign at night, eliminating the need for electricity in remote or rural areas.
Portable solar panel generators, such as GreenTow, have been developed to supply emergency response teams and remote construction sites with non-fossil fuel power. The panels can be towed to a site and generate energy to power generators with a diesel back-up in case of problems.
Outdoor solar lights can be more fun than a garage roof lining or a tow trailer. In Adelaide, Australia, solar light art called Solar Mallee Trees have been operating since 2005. They generate 864 kWh energy, while using only 125 kWh to light their surroundings. The extra electricity is put back into the grid for use elsewhere.
Solar Lighting
Pittsburgh, PA and Vienna, Italy have similar solar light constructs which tend to be in the shape of a tree or a flower with the petals and leaves sporting solar panels on one side and lights on the other. These types of lights contribute artistically to their cities, generate power for the grid, and reduce dependence on costly nonrenewable energy.
In every sector of the economy, energy efficiency is gaining importance both as a cost-saving solution and as a way to meet efficiency goals. Due to the public nature of this service, it’s very citizen driven. Supporting your local community’s efforts to replace inefficient outdoor lighting with solar technology will increase the dispersion of this practice as business as usual.
For more information on how you can gain from the many benefits of solar energy, visit http://sourcetecenergy.com/.