Solar Garden Lights

Solar power is an affordable, efficient and elegant home improvement solution to traditional commercial power. With increasing public awareness of environmental concerns and the ecological impact of virtually every aspect of life; high technology is at the forefront of the battle. For years, technology has been viewed as the enemy of the environment. Ironically, the technology used to provide clean, high-efficiency power in space is being used with dramatic success in landscape applications for home and business. Garden, patio, deck, and landscape solar-powered lighting is available in a number of configurations, depending on the application. From self-contained, stand-alone, wireless stakes to solar panel array powered wired lighting systems, there are hundreds of options. Whether illuminating a walkway or garden paving slabs, with mood lighting or motion-detecting, high-intensity security lighting, there are choices which provide exactly the correct light to accomplish the task. Beyond cost-savings from routine use, there may be government incentives or tax deductions available to help defray the capital outlay of the purchase and installation.

Before you buy a solar garden light it is important to consider the return on investment (ROI). With the advent of the second and third generation thin-film solar cells, the older first generation cells are becoming obsolete – despite the fact that they are still operational and have a more than an 80% market share. The return-on-investment time has dropped an order of magnitude, savings in manufacture being realized in both the manufacturing process with adequate power generation specifications. The older solar cells reach the cost break-even point after approximately 8 years. The newer cells break-even in less than a year, currently. And newer technology is right on the horizon.

Efficiency is a prime consideration only from the point of view that smaller cells that can produce the same power require less space. Since garden solar lighting is a very-low power draw – typically, a stand-alone wireless LED solar stake can operate eight hours on a charge – it is usually considered a moot point.

Elegance is essential in a garden setting. The less visible the light source is, the more attractive the landscape appears. Manufacturers have dozens of designs, from traditional hanging lamps to lighting camouflaged as rocks or other natural features. There is a myriad choice of materials available from care-free stainless steel to burnished copper, from metal to plastic. There are tube lights, string lights, and water garden underwater solar lamps. The only restrictions are your budget and the design application.

High technology is the source of all solar power garden lighting solutions. New products appear almost every day. Engineers are pushing the limits of efficiency – the amount of power generated as a percentage of the size – as well as ever-increasing levels of manufacture lowering the cost-per-unit to the manufacturer and savings passed on to the retailer and consumer. Research and development into generating electricity from the invisible “black light” ultraviolet and infrared spectrum are showing great promise and potential of longer periods of operation. Multiple junction solar cells currently in development offer the promise of doubling the existing efficiency of current solar cells from a bit less than 20% to more than 40%.

Options include but are not limited to low-power LED bulbs, bright incandescent bulbs, extremely bright halogen tube spotlights, motion detection switches, timers and multi-lamp lights. If a wired system is feasible, lighting is powered by a separately located solar array, which can be adapted to providing continuous light regardless of lighting conditions with a hybrid system integrated with an existing electrical power back-up system.

Cost savings are realized from the moment the solar garden or landscape light fixture is installed. Solar garden fixtures made of recycled plastics are less expensive than those made of virgin materials. Stand-alone self-contained designs save wiring costs; and, they have the advantage of being literally “set-and-forget,” which makes it an ideal project for the homeowner. No professional contractor or potentially dangerous buried electrical wiring is required for installation. The government's ecological green agenda may result in significant cost savings from rebate incentives to tax credits or deductions. Be sure to keep your receipts and consult a tax professional.

With the demand for solar lights for garden use solutions increasing nearly as fast as the supply, the market is striving to met the need. Solar power is here to stay. The current state of the world economy has slowed production from the largest of the European solar cell manufacturers, but forecasts for the remainder of this year indicate a probable increase in solar cell production around 30% when the emerging technology from the Pacific Rim comes online. With a soft market and limited demand, the time to strike an optimum deal is now, with off-the-shelf solutions available at bargain prices. Coupled with a less than one year return on investment, the garden lighting of today will be already paid for by next summer. Considering the active service life of a solar garden light is 20 to 30 years, it's an investment in the value of your home that is well worth consideration.