Living in a rural area can sometimes be more difficult than living in the city; there are always concerns about limitations on standard resources. We often don’t think about where power comes from when we hit a light switch since it’s an afterthought for those of us living within a city. Some homes in rural areas, however, aren’t even connected to a sufficient power grid to supply their fields with light, and so there’s a need to find power elsewhere.  For that reason, solar lighting is often the pick of the crowd for lighting fields and farms. It’s not just a concern of power, however; solar light can improve the lives of rural residents. Here’s how:

Why Solar LED Lights are Fantastic for Rural Areas

Solar Panel Lights Skip on Trench Building for Power

For farmers and rural residents to install traditional lighting, there’s a question of how to properly route power to a power meter and the costs involved—how long of a connection must be made, how deep of a trench, and the labor involved in digging a trench just to have proper lighting installed. These costs, depending on how complex the infrastructure, can easily rise into ranges of several thousand dollars. And that’s just the trench if the trench can be built.

It’s a no-brainer that solar panel lights require no external power to function properly; installing a costly power grid just isn’t a viable option for farmers and rural residents when you consider the financial impact. That’s why they turn to solar. The operation to dig, wire, and maintain traditional power lighting is extremely expensive in comparison to the long-term cost benefits solar provides. We’ve got plenty of example projects to check out if you’re skeptical of the cost-benefit.

Save Money Long-Term by Using Solar

The price of energy is always a concern, especially in localities where it isn’t abundant. A recent report by EEFA (Energy Efficiency for All) reveals that families in rural areas spend a higher percentage on energy than average families. The time to be energy-conscious with rural areas is now, and one of the best solutions to reduce energy bills in rural areas is by using solar LED lighting.

These kinds of lights can reduce the energy bill of a house over the course of a year by over a thousand dollars. A single square foot solar panel can generate 15 watts of power per hour of direct sunlight. On average, a solar panel can receive 4 hours of direct sunlight per day. Multiply that per square foot of panels you have per day, and the savings add up over time.

Safety and Life Quality on the Rise with Solar LED Lighting

Violent crime rates have actually increased in rural areas in the past few decades. Lack of employment and shrinking farms have contributed to a rise in crime, and rural communities are suffering the effects. Even the opioid crisis has struck some communities, and so it’s important to support rural areas through all possible avenues—even with lighting!

Ensuring some rural communities have strong lighting is one method of increasing safety. A recent study published on LEDs Magazine detailed a study about several communities participating in public lighting programs. The conclusion of the study noted a 39-percent drop in crime rates with new lighting systems. Plus, proper lighting can extend leisure time outside for families and friends—something we all can benefit from.

The benefits of using proper solar LED lighting panels are abundant for rural areas since they avoid costly trenching, save on energy bills, and improve safety where crime might be higher than we think. All signs for the best possible lighting solutions point to solar LED panels—take a gander at what we’ve got to offer for your farm and contact us if you’d like to learn more. Or, if you'd like to pursue a deeper education on solar lighting facts, look at our comprehensive solar lighting guide.