Solar Lights – The Wave of the Future 

By Steve Schafer | October 15, 2009

Many of us think “solar lights” and picture the older style lamps that people have in their front yard with wires leading to a solar panel that sticks out like a sore thumb. Actually, solar lighting technology has come a long way since the fist generation solar landscape lights. The solar cells (called photovoltaic cells) have become smaller and more efficient, allowing them to gather more energy from less light. The incorporation of nickel cadmium batteries into the light fixtures allows them to store more energy to be used when they are needed. The introduction of LED bulbs allows them to put out more light while using less energy than other types of bulbs.

With the advancement of solar technology, solar lighting manufacturers are able to design new styles of and applications for solar lights. The new compact designs of solar path lights makes them so easy to install, that you just have to take them out of the box and put them where you want them. The solar cells and batteries are built right into the light fixture. Solar accent lights come in a variety of elegant designs that will accent your home’ landscape during the day as well as at night. There are even motion sensing solar security lights that are very easy to mount to a wall and will light up when someone enters your front porch or driveway – all without any wiring involved.

Using solar lighting for your home landscaping has many benefits. One big advantage is that they are wireless. Having no wires really makes solar lights simple to install. As long as the location you picked for them has access to adequate sunlight, you are good to go. If not, you can get solar lights that come with an external panel that can be mounted in a nearby, sunny spot. Even then, there is really no wiring – just a single wire from the light to a small panel.

Another big plus is that solar lights require absolutely no maintenance. Once you have them mounted or placed where you need them, you can forget about them and let them do their job. The batteries usually last for the life of the fixtures, as do the bulbs. The fixtures themselves are so inexpensive, that it just makes sense to replace them at the first sign of problems. Solar lights are truly trouble free technology.

I personally believe that the most compelling reason to use solar lighting is that it is a great way to help our environment. We are using up our planet’s resources at an alarming rate. Solar lights are completely “green” and use none of the earth’s natural resources. That means that switching to solar will not only help preserve the planet, but since sun power is free, it will also save you money.

The benefits of using solar lighting are numerous, and we have touched on some of them here. Solar technology will continue to develop, and as it does solar lights will become more efficient and less costly to produce. Here’s to saving money and the planet! Cheers!

Want to find out more about solar lighting, then visit Steve Schafer’s site on how to choose the best outdoor solar lighting for your needs.

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