In the current lighting market, the demand for solar street lights is growing rapidly, city streets, rural roads, parks and scenic spots can be seen everywhere.
Brightness and Visibility
The LED light source of the solar street light has high brightness, which can meet the lighting of different scenes. When the night is clear, the effective visible range is 30 - 50 metres; in bad weather, such as heavy rain and dense fog, the visible range is 15 - 20 metres, which can outline the road more clearly than traditional street lights and ensure traffic safety.
Lighting uniformity
Through special lampshade and lens design, the solar street light achieves uniform light distribution and avoids lighting dead spots. On urban roads, the brightness of the road surface is consistent, creating a comfortable and safe lighting environment for pedestrians and vehicles.
Adapt to complex environment
Each component is specially treated to adapt to complex environments. At a high temperature of 40℃, the heat dissipation design ensures that the components are normal; at a low temperature of -30℃, the cold-resistant material helps stable operation. Waterproof and dustproof up to IP65 or above, the lamp post is resistant to wind of grade 10, ensuring normal work in all kinds of weather.
Intelligent control system guarantee
Intelligent control system is powerful. The light control automatically switches on and off the street light according to the light; the time control sets the switching time and brightness according to the demand; the human body sensor increases the brightness when someone approaches. These functions reduce faults and improve stability and reliability.
Solar Energy Collection
Solar panels are made of semiconductor materials, when the sunlight irradiation, photons make the semiconductor produce electron - cavity pairs, under the action of the electric field to form an electric current, to achieve the conversion of solar energy to electrical energy.
Electricity Storage
The converted electrical energy is stored in batteries, commonly used lithium batteries and lead-acid batteries. Lithium batteries have high energy density and long life; lead-acid batteries are low-cost and mature, and provide energy reserves for nighttime lighting.
Controller regulation
The controller is like an ‘intelligent housekeeper’, according to the light, time and other factors, accurately regulating the current and voltage supplied by the battery to the LED lights, increasing the current in the evening to make the lights bright, and lowering the voltage late at night to save energy.
LED Lighting
LED lights emit light based on the principle of electroluminescence after receiving electrical energy. It has high luminous efficiency, low energy consumption, and a long lifespan of 50,000 - 100,000 hours, which reduces the cost of lamp replacement.
Sustainability Considerations: Are Solar Street Lights Sustainable?
Zero Carbon Emission
Solar street lights use clean energy, no carbon dioxide emissions. Taking 30W street light as an example, working 10 hours a day, it reduces about 107.55kg CO2 emissions a year compared with traditional street light, which helps to alleviate climate warming.
Renewable Energy Advantage
Solar energy is inexhaustible, providing long-term stable operation of the street light, and is not affected by the shortage and price fluctuation of traditional energy sources.
No Hazardous Substances
LED lamps do not contain mercury, lead and other harmful substances, production, use and disposal of environmental pollution, in line with environmental requirements.
Low maintenance and recyclable
Simple structure, intelligent system to warn of failure, reduce maintenance frequency and cost. Some parts can be recycled to achieve sustainable resources.
Solar panel life
Using special materials and processes, UV resistance, weather resistance, life expectancy of 10 - 20 years. Regular cleaning can extend the life and reduce the impact of harsh environments.
LED Lamp Life
Normal use can reach 50,000 - 100,000 hours, high temperature, high humidity environment will shorten the life, but compared with traditional light sources, the replacement frequency is low.
Battery life
Lithium battery charge/discharge cycle 1000 - 2000 times, once a day, life 2.7 - 5.5 years; lead-acid battery cycle 300 - 500 times, life 0.8 - 1.4 years. Proper use and maintenance can extend battery life.
Comprehensive Assessment
Overall life 10 - 15 years, affected by core components. Regular maintenance, checking solar panels, LEDs, batteries, etc. will extend the life.
Practical Case Reference
For well-maintained city road, solar street light can be used for 12 - 15 years; for poor environment and low maintenance of country road, the life span is 10 - 12 years; for well-maintained scenic spots, the life span can be up to 13 - 15 years.
Conventional Street Light Electricity Expense
Traditional street lights rely on utility power, high electricity costs. 150W high pressure sodium lamps, light 10 hours a day, electricity costs 1 yuan / unit, annual electricity costs 547.5 yuan, 1000 street lights annual electricity costs 547500 yuan.
Advantage of solar street light with zero electricity cost
Solar street lamps use solar energy, zero electricity expenditure, long-term savings of a large number of costs, significant economic advantages.
Traditional street light maintenance problems
Bulb life 1000 - 5000 hours, need to be replaced frequently, complex wiring and easy to fail. Maintenance 4 - 6 times a year, each time 300 - 500 yuan, but also affect the traffic, increasing additional costs.
Solar street light low maintenance advantages
Simple structure, intelligent failure warning. Maintenance 1 - 2 times per year, each time 100 - 200 yuan, maintenance costs are greatly reduced.
Traditional street light installation is complicated
Need to lay cables, building transformers, construction difficulties, long cycle, the cost of complex terrain areas is higher.
Solar street light is easy to install
Only need to fix the pole, connect the parts, no wiring, quick installation, remote areas without power grid has obvious advantages.
Low light charging principle
Solar panel technology innovation
Modern solar panels have improved sensitivity to low light, and can absorb scattered light for charging on cloudy and rainy days. Although the efficiency is lower than that on sunny days, it can meet part of the demand.
Charging efficiency analysis
Light rain charging efficiency is 30% - 50% on sunny days, 10% - 30% on medium rain, 5% - 10% on heavy rain, 20% - 40% on cloudy days and 40% - 60% on cloudy days.
Battery Storage and Response Strategies
Battery Storage Guarantee
Excess power is stored in the battery on sunny days, and battery power is supplied on rainy and cloudy days to ensure continuous illumination of the street light, and the large-capacity battery lasts for a longer period of time.
Intelligent Charging Management
Intelligent system adjusts the charging strategy according to the weather and power, lowering the current to protect the battery on cloudy days, and giving priority to basic lighting when the power is low, ensuring stable operation in special weather.
It is recommended to prioritise the use of solar led street lights in lighting projects for their environmental, energy-saving, economic and performance advantages, making them a quality choice in the lighting sector. We all take positive action to enjoy its efficient lighting services, contribute to environmental protection, promote its wide application and improve the living environment.
