The True Costs of Traditional Lighting vs Solar

When scrutinizing the details of a project, especially the budgeting aspect of it, it's important to consider all options available to you in order to justify the dollar. Lighting is no stranger to this; something as simple as illumination in the dark can be incredibly expensive. 

We know those roads well, and we're here to see that receipt gets a little shorter for businesses, municipalities, and corporations in need of commercial solar lighting. Traditional lighting methods--often times using high-pressure sodium technology or metal halide—can be tried and true, but we're here to tell you about solar street light installation costs. The total bill, when compared to traditional street lighting costs, is actually significantly less than you might think. Here's the breakdown:

Traditional Lighting Costs Are Deceptive

Initially, the costs for standard lights are attractive because they're not paired with solar technology. But a closer look shows that you're paying a lot more than just the lights—you have to pay for the trenching and energy bills as well. Over ten years, the prices add up. 

Solar beats out on the costs for street lighting because it doesn't require expensive trenching, wiring, or labor, and well, it's fueled by the sun—so don't worry about any energy bills. We've even saved a company several thousands of dollars upfront on day one of installation. It's a smart thing, that solar technology. And we're proud to offer it without hefty bills for installation. 

But don't take our word for it. Do a quick search online and you can find trenching alone can cost between 5 and 12 dollars per linear foot. That doesn't include labor fees for professionals, nor backfill fees, nor equipment fees. Plenty of forums online show discussion threads about how exorbitant trenching prices can be. One you do the research and see how expensive electrical trenching is, we're certain you can understand why so many people are switching to solar. Skip the trenching bill, do away with the energy bills, and save money long-term with solar.

How Much More is Solar Over Traditional Lighting?

A ballpark price per light is about 3,000 dollars for a traditional HPS light. A ballpark price for a solar light is about 4,500 dollars. The extra 1,500 goes into the solar panel technology, the battery, the energy management system for the light, and other miscellaneous components. Yes, it's true you'll pay up front more per light, but the savings ring in when it comes to installation and wiring.

In a ten-light system, over the course of ten years, with regular maintenance and upkeep, you can save a total of 30,000 dollars with solar over traditional lighting. The true price of traditional lighting is double the price of solar lighting—solar pays for itself.

Aren't Solar Panels Expensive?

They used to be! Modern advances in manufacturing methods have taken solar panel technology to new heights in terms of costs and processes. Solar panel costs are following Swanson's Law which states solar prices tend to drop by 20% for every doubling of cumulative shipped volume. Named after Richard Swanson, the founder of SunPower, the law observes that every 10 years the costs reduce by 75%. This means the entire global economy is shifting towards renewable energy. The shift towards renewable energy reveals that the true costs of traditional lighting aren't changing with solar. Why not be a part of the biggest trend in public utility and adopt solar for your next lighting project?

Here at Greenshine New Energy, we're proud to offer commercial lighting solutions that light the way towards savings and a brighter future. Be a part of the solar revolution by investing in the energy resource of tomorrow: the sun. Contact us to learn more or take a look at how our technology works for a better understanding of the costs for solar street light installation.