SEPCO-Solar Lighting Blog

There is a lot of information bouncing around about solar lighting. Some people love it, some people don’t. There are many pros and cons with solar lighting, but the one thing that always seems to get lost in the shuffle is the reason behind using solar lighting systems. Here are some truths behind solar lighting:

SEPCO recently worked with Parkway South High School to help illuminate their flag. Electrical service was going to be difficult to get to the location of the flag and they were looking for a solution to not have to take it down every night. Since it is good flag etiquette to illuminate a flag from dusk to dawn when leaving it up over night, they started looking for a solar solution.

Solar lighting solutions have evolved tremendously over the last decade. We have found ways to increase efficiencies, storage capacities, lumen outputs, and so much more. But adding too many options to systems can jeopardize their functionality and cause more issues in the long run. Keeping it simple (sweetie) will ensure system functionality and have less pieces to maintain over the life of the systems. Here are some ways you can K.I.S.S. your solar lighting system in your design phase.

Solar outdoor lighting systems have increased in popularity over the last decade for many reasons. The Solar Outdoor Lighting solutions offer grid security and provide light in areas where grid power is still not available, as well as offer green alternatives to obtain power from the sun. Solar outdoor lights are becoming the new normal for new construction projects and also are a cost savings to replace old electrical underground infrastructure on systems that are failing. Here are the top five reasons why solar outdoor lighting is becoming more popular in the last decade.

  All lighting projects are basically built using the same formula, and by putting that formula to the next project, you can quickly determine what you need and how to best put that into play. This will cover some of the best practices to learn how to design a solar lighting project from the ground up.

  SEPCO worked closely with Electrical Dynamics, Inc in Lawrence MA to provide lighting to a project where grid power wasn’t feasible. A small triangle parking lot for the Great Lawrence Family Health Center had no lighting for their patients, especially after the sun goes down in the winter months. Solar lighting systems are the best option to provide the required lighting without the high costs of trenching and construction of the surrounding area to bring in grid power.

  Rural areas have less infrastructure; therefore, making access to power and lighting more difficult and costly. Solar provides the power for many of these applications at a fraction of the cost to bring in the required power, especially with the cost of solar decreasing at a rapid rate.

  In an area near the Lockport Powerhouse, a flag was being installed on this historic site, but bringing power to this specific location was difficult. Since flags are to be illuminated from dusk to dawn, solar powered LED flagpole light systems came to the rescue.  

  This is the final installment in our Simple Solar Lighting and Power Facts series. Finally we want to cover the cost difference between solar lighting and power systems compared to traditional grid powered lighting and power systems.  

There are many different factors to consider when putting together a solar street light proposal. Not many people know all the considerations required, but here is a list of a few little-known factors that can make the specification process a little less stressful. With this information, you will be able to not only create a better specification, but ensure that solar is the right fit for your application.