The wind, water, and sun are the three big players of Green Energy. Of the three, solar energy has grabbed global attention as an effective solution to reduce energy consumption and environmental damage.
The global shift is driven by government initiatives and a massive adoption of solar lighting systems like solar street lights. Why solar street lights? The answer is obvious. The entire world is focussing on sustainable power sources to curtail greenhouse emissions. The relentless pursuit of green power drives the need and the market growth for solar street lights. Here's the proof: Global experts say that the market for solar street lighting will reach $14billion by 2027, with a post-Covid CAGR of 14.7%.
In India, solar street lights are a common sight. Thousands of them dot the highways that criss-cross the length and breadth of the country. As dawn turns to dusk, these solar street lights come alive and flood the highways with clean, sustainable power.
Standalone solar street lights are fast gaining power for some good reasons. They are:
Rather than relying upon on-grid power supply, solar street lights rely on batteries or photovoltaic cells for solar energy storage. This aspect makes solar street lights a feasible option to power highways and roads in remote places without any power grid source. These systems can also use the stored energy by converting it into electricity as per the requirement. For your solar street lights to function well, they must be exposed to direct sunlight, allowing them to soak up the solar energy for at least eight hours. Once charged, they are good to go for the rest of the night.
If you are looking to invest in solar street lights, it is undoubtedly a wise decision because these solar-powered solutions are fast gaining traction. The popularity of these street lights is driving the market and vice versa. The solar lighting market is flooded with dozens of options that could be overwhelming for inexperienced investors. If you are not well-informed, you may buy low-quality solar street lamps manufactured with sub-par materials.
However, our blog is packed with all the information you need to consider when investing in solar street lights. Let's read on.
When make enquiries about solar street light dealers in Chennai for solar-powered lamp sources, they come up with several options like:
Of these choices, the best option that's a close replica of the sun's spectrum is the LED light. Nowadays, smart solar-powered LED lights are powered by higher lumens that use less energy. Furthermore, LED lights make solar power integration simple and easy. So, they could be the better choice.
All solar lights are powered by batteries, which are available in two types:
Of the two, lithium batteries are better because they have:
It is important to note that the battery capacity should meet the lighting efficiency requirement. If not, the street lamp will not provide adequate lighting during the rainy season.
When you are at a latitude greater than 15 degrees, the sun's inclination angle with the ground is greater than 15 degrees. Therefore, you must consider solar street lights with adjustable solar panels. Also, the panels of solar street lights installed on both sides of the road should not face away from the sun.
The heat dissipation is another important factor determining the LED lamp's quality. Basically, heat dissipation is nothing more than the transfer of heat. However, dissipation also refers to heat loss driven by undesirable effects. Therefore, every time the heat dissipation is inadequate, the lifespan of the semiconductor device in the street lamp is shortened. It is better to choose anti-ultraviolet and fireproof LED lights to ensure adequate heat dissipation.
When considering solar street lights, look for details about the footcandles as they determine the illumination on the floor. Ideally, the bright/dark ratio should be 4:1, but a minimum ratio of 3:1 is also good. You should also consider the colour temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin.
It is better to opt for light coloured lamps since black coloured lamps are highly heat absorbing. If the lamp is black, the temperature of the metal shell can reach up to 90 degrees Celsius underexposure. The high temperature will destroy the battery and the LED light source. Therefore, choose a silver shell that will not absorb heat or fade when placed outdoors.
Charging and discharging controllers are also known as solar controllers, and they coordinate the work of solar panels, storage batteries, and loads. An effective heat dissipation function is crucial for selecting a controller. Another essential feature is temperature compensation. A smart controller has been added to prevent overcharging and undercharging of solar batteries. You would be better off investing in a smart solar controller with built-in communication that allows real-time monitoring and control of the system. The controller would offer maximum performance and longevity.
The sensors are of two types:
The PIR or the Passive Infrared Sensor is included in many solar street lights to help conserve energy. The sensors work by measuring infrared light allowing the sensor to detect movement.
The solar controller coordinates the work of the panels, loads, and batteries. Hence it is essential to pick a controller which gives you the following benefits:
The solar panel is the main component of the solar street lighting system. To determine the quality of the solar panels, you should:
Solar street lamps are certainly a big investment. Hence you need to ensure the manufacturer offers an extended warranty period of 20 to 25 years. Also, look for reputable solar street light dealers that offer good after-sales services.
In this model, the solar panels are attached to the poles. This panel positioning is slightly disadvantageous because the sunlight effect is minimal, and the absorption effect is only one-fifth of the ordinary solar lights. Moreover, the absorption rate is almost nil when the sun is directly above.
The conversion equipment is different in this model because the conversion mechanisms are different. If wind energy is used to charge the battery, it will cause decay and affect the battery life. Hence, this model may not be the right choice if you are looking for solar lights that will last a long time.
Nantech Power Systems Pvt Ltd are one of the most recognized solar street light dealers in Chennai. We have years of experience dealing with off-grid and on-grid solar power plants and street light installations. Want to power up your locality? Call us today.
Advancing into a sustainable world, there has been a paradigm shift globally onto the usage of solar-powered products. Solar street lights are the emerging renewable light sources for our streets. They use photovoltaic (PV) panels or commonly called solar panels for the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy.
Many types of solar street lights are manufactured based on different types of each component.
Firstly, panels are available for various wattage systems starting from a minimum of 8W. Two types of panels of conversion are available, namely, mono-crystalline & poly-crystalline. Monocrystalline panels have higher conversion rates.
Smart solar lights use LED lights against fluorescent lamps as they consume lesser energy, are highly luminous and save capital. The Government of India runs the world’s largest streetlight replacement programme called LED Street Lighting National Programme (SNLP). The Greater Chennai Corporation has switched to LED lamps for street lights which is helping them save about 30Cr annually!
The pole needs to stand strong for climatic variations like rain and wind resistance. Usually, the pole has attached to it, the lamp, PV and additional accessories, if any. Nantech provides durable and corrosion resistant poles with an alluring look.
A battery is rechargeable during the day. It is meant to store the electrical energy which is converted from solar energy by the PV and is used during the night. Energy can be stored to work as a backup on cloudy or rainy days, thus making the lifetime of a battery crucial. While the gel cell deep cycle batteries & lead-acid batteries are common, the lithium-ion batteries are an emerging trend because of their higher lifetime of about 5 years.
Solar street lights can be used for residential, commercial as well as industrial purposes. The appealing and substantial benefits of switching to cleaner and greener energy resources has struck people around the world! Do check out our products at Nantech Power Systems Pvt Ltd.
Solar Energy is now taking the world by storm. We can see this in the many advancements in technology by our Indian scientists and by the Indian Government's proactive legislatures. In 2018, the Chennai Civic Body had launched a Rs. 140 Crore venture project which plans on changing 70000 streetlights in over 15 zones, out of which 8 zones – Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi, and Sholinganallur are all going have 17000 redone post lamps with streetlights introduced. Estimates are that this project could bring a 45% lessening in electricity consumption.
The focus is now on more greener and efficient technologies like solar streetlights, which use solar panels and LEDs. But why must you change over to Solar Street Lights? We shall present you with 5 compelling arguments to switch over to Solar Streetlights in Chennai!.
Solar Street Lights |
Conventional Street Light |
---|---|
InstallationQuick, cheap, and easy to install, the poles are also powered by PV panels which provide electricity to LED lamps, with an inbuilt controller and battery. |
InstallationThese require much cable-laying and trenching required, which in turn means a large workforce and also a requirement of storage for heavy-duty batteries. |
MaintenanceSince solar energy is converted to electrical energy, there is no additional electricity cost. A battery can fully charge itself within 5 hours and then run for the next 12 hours. It is also weatherproof and dustproof, and rainy days aren't a problem. They are operational for the next 5 years. |
MaintenanceThe batteries need a lot of maintenance, including timely water topping, which increases labour costs. Since they are connected to an electric supply, street maintenance with a high electricity cost is quite difficult. |
SafetyThese are wireless and not connected to any electricity cables; hence there are no protruding wires and no accident threat. |
SafetySince there is much cabling involved, it is very unsafe as one can get electrocuted from the direct supply of electricity. There is also an additional threat of strangulation during the installation process. There is a possibility of a short circuit. |
EnvironmentThere is no energy cost since energy from the sun is directly being used. Since it uses green energy, there is no carbon footprint associated. There is also less light pollution since the lens used is of a special kind that adjusts brightness levels based on battery voltage and running times, thus reducing the light pollution and increasing the backup battery time. |
EnvironmentThese are connected to power grids, which are non-renewable energy sources and hence pollute the environment as a lot of carbon dioxide is released. Conventional Sodium or Metal Halide lamps also use mercury, which is very toxic to the environment. Light exposed sideways could lead to light pollution. |
VisibilityThe LEDs in the poles are coloured to reach the desired CRI that resembles the daytime sun. Hence the visibility is better at night and similar to that provided during the day. |
VisibilityThe yellow lights from the halide and sodium lamps are low in Colour Rendering Index (CRI), making it difficult to see and distinguish in colours. The glare from these lights can also be a cause for accidents. |
Solar power is one of the cleanest and most sustainable sources of electrical energy! It especially makes sense to go for it in places like Chennai where there is no shortage of bright sunlight. Thus, a considerable number of industrial establishments, residential townships and gated communities in the city are now turning towards solar powered street lights to light up their private roads and thoroughfares!
Also Read: Why Is It A Must To Invest In UPS or Inverter in Chennai?
Solar street lights are typically LED-based self-illuminating devices. A solar street light usually contains a photo-voltaic (PV) system that converts solar energy from sunlight into electrical energy and stores it in a self-contained battery unit.
As the day comes to a close, the voltage in the PV unit falls, triggering the battery on and making the LED light glow. The street lights burn the brightest during the first few hours of the night. But as daybreak approaches, the intensity of the light reduces gradually and shuts off completely when there is enough light to get the PV module going again.
Some solar street lights have motion sensors to glow brighter when people are about while remaining at optimal brightness the rest of the time.
The Many Benefits of Solar Street Lights in Chennai!
Energy Efficiency
This is probably the single main USP of solar street lights! They do not need to draw on the power supply from any grid as they are standalone, self-contained units. Since they have sensors to trigger automatic on/off and dimming of lights based on the availability of natural light, they do not use any more power than what is required for lighting up our streets.
Independence From Grid
As we saw earlier, solar-powered street lights do not depend on any electricity grid to function. So, they are not affected by any power disruptions in the power network either. Thus, if there is a power blackout in an area, the street lights would still be on.
Wireless!
No more messy wires hanging from electric lamp poles because solar street lights are compact independent units that do not need to be interconnected with each other. Since the battery is usually sealed into the PV unit itself, these lights are virtually wireless!
Illumination in Remote Locations
Since solar street light are off-grid, they are ideal for illuminating remote locations which do not have access to the local power grid. They need to be just transported and installed in the required spots without any significant complications.
Green Energy
Solar street lights are incredibly gentle on the environment with hardly any carbon footprint. What is more, they are highly sustainable and 100% pollution free.
So, what are you waiting for? Get a quote from the best dealers of these “wonder” lights in the city, do a comparative study of solar street light price in Chennai and start lighting up your neighbourhood!