Your Guide to Solar Panel Street Lights

Street lights used for roadways, security, freeways, highways, parking lots, corporate parkways, and other municipal locations are more cost- and energy-efficient with solar panel lights. Solar power technology converts sunlight into energy, and it’s a much more sustainable option than other energy sources, like fossil fuels.

With solar power, cities can reduce their need for utility power so electric bills are lowered or eliminated while still providing illumination in a variety of locations after the sun goes down. These advanced technologies also help municipal officials create safer roadways and sidewalks since they won’t stop working if there’s a mass power outage or other issue. 

So, are solar panel street lights really worth it? This guide will cover how solar powered street lights work, their cost-efficient benefits, and the four advanced options offered by Greenshine New Energy today.

Can Solar Panels Power Street Lights?

Solar technology can power lights of all kinds, including street lights. Municipalities and organizations can take advantage of all the benefits this resource offers by avoiding the electricity grid altogether with solar street lighting. Solar panel street lights can be used on any street that receives sufficient sunlight, from busy city streets to rural or remote areas. 

Installation is affordable, and the systems are easy to manage. Because a solar panel street light doesn’t rely on the traditional utility grid, you can install it even in remote locations without the need to dig power line trenches. You can also custom design or retrofit your solar panel street lighting system to fit into existing infrastructure. Solar panel street lights are effective modern options when transitioning away from traditional street lighting systems.

How Do Solar Street Lights Work?

Solar street lights are composed of a couple of key components: the solar panel and the solar battery. Solar panels are attached to light posts. Energy from the sun collects in a rechargeable battery within the structure that powers the LED lamps. 

These photovoltaic solar panels are comprised of photovoltaic cells that gather rays and convert sunlight into usable electricity. All that power is then transmitted and stored in the light’s battery to continue powering the street lights for long periods. 

Solar lighting solutions from Greenshine New Energy utilize solar panels composed of monocrystalline silicon, which increases performance by five percent over other technologies. They can bring in more solar power by absorbing photons from the sun.

Sunlight is a renewable energy source because it’s there every day, even on dark and cloudy days. So, solar powered lights are efficient and effective day after day since they don’t rely on energy sources that could cease or fail.

Do Solar Panel Street Lights Work at Night?

Because the internal solar battery stores up all the power from sunlight, it can power the LED lights at night, well after the sun goes down and the conversion process stops. Even during cloudy or rainy days, solar street lights can store up energy for several full days at a time so that the lamps still operate each night after dark.

Modern solar lights can continue providing light to roadways, parking lots, and parks day and night thanks to the constant stream of sunlight that the technology converts into energy. This is why solar lighting is an effective option for street lights in both cities and rural areas. 

Do Solar Panels Work Under Street Lights?

Mounting solar panels must be done carefully since these panels will face all kinds of weather conditions throughout the years. You should carefully consider the weight of the post and panel when placing and angling them. Hardware, including angling brackets, helps ensure that the solar panel stays secure and sturdy and remains at the correct angle to capture the most sunlight possible throughout the day for optimal battery life. 

You can take several approaches when placing solar panels on LED lamp posts. At Greenshine New Energy, our solar panels are placed at the top of street light poles and power the LED lights underneath. We also have an option where the panel is wrapped around the pole's shaft so it blends and appears more like a traditional street light.

Are Solar Panel Street Lights Worth It?

Solar panel street lights are absolutely worth the money. In fact, any outdoor lighting system can save money with solar power over time. Solar powered street lights help cities, schools, tribes, and many other organizations significantly reduce the cost of street lighting. Because these lights are entirely autonomous from the electricity grid, there is no monthly bill. They don’t require trenching or wiring, and maintenance costs are low. 

Installing solar panel street lights is simple with heavy lifting equipment. Lights from Greenshine New Energy come with all the tools necessary for the installation process, as well as a helpful step-by-step manual.

Another significant benefit of solar lights is that there are no external wires involved, which can cause accidents with traditional street lighting systems. These lights also produce no pollution or radiation, creating a much more environmentally friendly energy source. Even with the initial investment required to switch to solar street lights, the short- and long-term benefits significantly outweigh the costs. 

How Much Do Solar Panel Street Lights Cost?

The cost of solar lighting will vary significantly based on the needs of the area and city and the type of system you choose. Choosing solar light versus traditional will likely cost about a thousand dollars more upfront. The total will likely be somewhere around $2,000 per street light. This expense is due to the extra components that come with these lights, including the solar panel and battery, which aren’t included with traditional street light systems.

Even though you may be spending a little more upfront on solar panel street lights, you’ll quickly recoup those costs in a few key ways:

• You won’t need to pay any monthly energy bill for these lights, giving you savings right away.

• The LED bulbs are inexpensive and last a long time.

• Costs associated with wiring and trenching lights are nonexistent.

• Power permits aren’t necessary with solar lights since no electricity is being used.

One cost analysis from Greenshine found that the total expense for one traditional parking lot light was $8,200. The same use of a solar powered light was just $4,800. This analysis included the costs of the light, installation, electrical infrastructure, and electricity over five years. 

Even though the cost of a solar powered light may be a little higher than traditional lights, the elimination of the monthly electrical bill and electrical infrastructure makes a huge difference in the total cost. These lights last for many years, so you’ll continue to save long after paying off the initial cost.

Not only can you save significant money by switching to solar lights, but you also are doing the environment a big favor. Solar lights help cities and large organizations contribute to a better planet, which residents or members will likely appreciate.

Greenshine’s Four Best Solar Panel Street Lights

Greenshine New Energy provides outdoor solar LED systems for commercial, residential, and industrial needs. Our lights are used in more than 5,000 locations around the globe, and we deliver industry-leading and proprietary solar lighting solutions.

We have four different solar panel street light solutions we offer to clients ranging from the military, schools and universities, Native American tribes, government agencies, and more. We help municipalities and organizations go green and reduce their environmental footprint significantly. We also help them lower energy costs with more efficient technology. 

Here is an overview of each of the solar street lighting solutions from Greenshine and their main benefits.

SUPERA Solar Panel Street Lighting System

First, let’s talk about our SUPERA Solar Lighting System. This option is for streets, pathways, parking lots, security, highways, and other medium to large areas that need a lot of illumination. The LED fixture has a 60 to 80-watt Cobra Head style that includes two solar panels, which are dark sky friendly and provide high light output.

Benefits of SUPERA include:

• Great for medium to large areas that need a lot of reliable light

• Light poles that can withstand extreme weather conditions, with high-quality galvanized steel poles, durable LED aluminum frames, and a corrosion-resistant powder coating

• Lights with up to seven days of autonomy

• Batteries with 12 years of floating design life

• 25-year power output warranty

The SUPERA lights are best for larger areas that require a durable, long-lasting solution.

Brighta Solar Lighting System

Greenshine’s Brighta Solar Lighting System is a great option for parks, pathways, parking lots, and street lighting. There are three light fixture options with Brighta: the cobra head, dome-shaped, and square form and sleek sloped top line. The design on these lights is simple, and the LED fixture has a luminaire efficiency above 130 lumens per watt. There is one solar panel comprised of monocrystalline solar cells.

Benefits of Brighta include:

• Great for long, narrow lighting areas

• Multiple options for the galvanized steel pole length: 17’, 20’, and 23’

• Durability and consistent performance in very harsh weather conditions

• Can provide five to seven days of light, even without the sun

The Brighta system may be the right option when you want some flexibility and need to illuminate long, narrow areas.

Lumina Solar Panel Street Lights

Next is our Lumina Solar Lighting System. This is another effective possibility if you need to illuminate parks, streets, parking lots, bike lanes, corporate complexes, and parkways. This system has the same three light fixture options as the Brighta and is dark sky friendly. The Lumina series offers the most advanced LED lamp in the marketplace.

Benefits of Lumina include:

• Up to 7 days of power backup

• An LED lamp that ranges from 30 to 80 watts with a luminaire efficiency above 130 lumens per watt

• Sleek design that helps the lights blend in with the surroundings

• IP68 solar charge controllers that regulate the solar panel voltage to the battery

• 25-year power output warranty

This system is the perfect option when you want to have that seven-day backup protection and efficient LED lamps.

Volta Solar Light Pole System 

Finally, the Volta Solar Light Pole System gives you a sleek and efficient option for your solar lighting needs. The 20-foot pole supports solar panels that wrap around the shaft for a more attractive appearance. This series is great for parks, pathways, streets, and parking lots, where you may want lights that look more like traditional street lights.

Benefits of Volta include:

• Customizable pole to meet your design specs

• Stylish appearance that blends in with the environment

• Circular distribution of light for more uniformity

• Protection against overcharging with the IP68 solar charge controllers

• Weather-resistant construction, with optical grade PMMA lenses on the LEDs

The Volta lighting system is the right choice when you need lights that blend in and look a bit more traditional while still getting all the benefits of the most advanced solar panel technology out there.

Find the Best Solar Panel Street Lights for You

Now you know just how cost-effective and beneficial solar panel street lights can be for your needs, whether in parks, parking lots, streets, pathways, freeways, and other areas. At Greenshine New Energy, we help you make solar lighting systems a reality with the most advanced technologies and solutions on the market.

Our lighting systems combine high-tech solar panels with the most energy-saving LED lights, so you get even more out of your initial investment. Our solar light systems help a range of customers that need energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly solutions for outdoor lighting needs.

Reach out to the team at Greenshine New Energy to learn more about our four solar powered street light solutions. We’ll help you decide on the option that meets each of your goals for your outdoor solar lighting projects and discuss financing options that work for you.