If you are researching whether or not solar parking lot lights are worth the investment, then I can tell you unequivocally that they are. We all know that solar parking lot lights use solar energy to reduce our carbon footprint while easily saving us thousands of dollars on our electric bills.
So let's find out more details about this lighting solution.
What is the composition of Solar Lights?
Solar street light system is mainly composed of LED light source, solar panel, battery, controller, light pole and other parts. Currently, there are two popular types: fixed installation and portable and removable type.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
The solar panel converts light energy into electricity by absorbing it, and then converts it into direct current to charge the battery. When the sensing system senses a drop in light at night, the led lights will utilize the power gained during the day to illuminate the area. The DC controller also plays an important role in ensuring that the battery is not damaged by overcharging or overdischarging.
Benefits of installing solar parking lot lights
Many businesses are hesitant to install solar parking lot lights at the initial stage because of the cost of purchasing them, and some advanced solar lights can be as much as 50% more expensive than traditional street lights. Then we need to analyze what benefits it can bring to our business.
Save on construction costs
The biggest hidden cost for a lighting installation is through the trenching for the lights. Feel free to do your research on how much it costs to trench and wire a light, but if you'd rather save yourself the time we've done the math and research for you.
Costs to trench and connect a single light can skyrocket the project price to higher numbers, depending on the project specifications. For instance, in order to trench for power to connect the lights, trenching costs can average about 40 dollars a linear foot. That cost quickly adds up, especially if the lights are in an expansive lot. The price typically exceeds the total price of just purchasing the lights themselves. Additional prices can add on, especially if the parking lot is already paved over.
Not only will you need to pay for labor to crack the pavement if it's paved over, but you'll also need to block off that particular section of the lot from customers. During that construction time, you'll need to find a place to relocate commuters, especially if you have limited parking lot space and enough commuters for an overfill.
Some places don't even have the time or capability to block off parking lots for lights. We're talking about a 2-week timespan to shut down a lot, forcing people to park elsewhere. Not ideal.
Plus, it's unsightly. There's a reason why construction sites are blocked off with opaque barriers. It's to keep people out and to hide how it looks.
So, the benefits of solar lighting are worth the investment because you skip all that hassle. You skip the trenching, relocation, unsightly construction, and timespan of essentially shutting the lot down.
Plus, you save the money it would cost to perform all that hassle. One solar project saved the customer nearly half a million dollars.
So how long would it take to install solar lights in a parking lot?
With an average of roughly an hour per solar light, you can have an entire parking lot of 20 lights installed in a weekend, perhaps even in a single day depending on the lot and crew size installing them. Solar lights are a long-term, viable parking lot investment that save companies time and money up front.
Save electricity
With solar energy you can get rid of your monthly energy bills. Each traditional street light costs about $20 per month, and if you have ten of them then the energy cost is $2,400 just to keep it running for a year. But if you choose to go solar with your lighting, you'll be spending $0.00 per month.
Reduce carbon emissions
Green energy is all the rage recently. There's an energy crisis on the horizon, and every day the crisis crawls closer to a global shortage. Thankfully, using solar is a way to combat that.
Think of every public light across the world that uses energy on a nightly basis. It's unfathomable how much energy is consumed every day, even for just public lighting.
Public lighting contributes to 7% of our overall carbon footprint, globally. That definitely contributes to global warming and how volatile our weather patterns have been over the decades.
Installing solar parking lot lights is your contribution to a sustainable future. Not only that, but it can also be beneficial to your business, enhancing your corporate image and attracting more foot traffic.
Improved Safety in Parking Lots
The probability of the presence of criminals and vandals in a parking lot at night is very high. The presence of solar-powered LED lights allows your customers to feel safe while keeping criminals in check. Additionally these lights do not need to be turned on manually, sensors will turn them on in low light conditions.
BIGLUX is a leading provider of solar lighting solutions for parking lots. With years of experience we know how to utilize reliable technology to meet your needs and deliver maximum ROI. With both fixed and removable solutions, we can ensure that your parking lot is illuminated whenever and wherever you need it.
If you want to save money as well as the environment by investing in solar parking lot lights, don't hesitate to ask us for advice and a quote.