Smart Solar Lighting by Fonroche Solar Lighting America

How Does Solar Lighting Work?

Like most great ideas, Solar Street Lighting is an elegantly simple idea.

  1. Collect energy from the sun
  2. Store the energy in batteries so you can use it during the night
  3. Add some intelligence (a controller) to manage the care and feeding of your batteries and tell the lights what to do

So what differentiates one solar lighting system from another? Why do some outdoor solar lighting systems provide reliable all-night lighting for 10 years while other’s struggle to make it through the night?

System is the important word here. The components of the system need to be well integrated and balance with each other and with the environment in your location. That’s why off the shelf solutions are non-starters for public lighting projects.

The best solar street lights also tap into technologies that focus on efficiency and weather-ability.

  • High efficacy LED fixtures translate to an easier load for your solar components
  • Battery formulations that are well suited to temperature extremes in your location and that can be deeply cycled without reducing battery life
  • Controls that monitor and protect your battery reserve and prevent blackouts

Success depends on a planning process that includes an assessment of needs, solar characteristics of your location, photometric analysis and optimization of the system’s components.

For in-depth training, please visit our free AEC On-Line continuing education course.  Specifiers can earn AIA, USGBC, HSW credits and more.