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Do solar streetlights work in winter? The answer is yes! Gloomy weather and shorter days can cloud your mind and make you wonder how. Reduced sunlight, snow and ice, lower temperatures, and cloudy skies can impair their performance. Yet, thanks to advances in solar tech and smart setup methods, these green lights continue to glow even as temperatures fall. There are measures you can take to make the best of your traditional solar street lights during winter and snow. Expert solar street light dealers like Nantech can help you learn how to do this. Let us explore winter's effects on solar street lights, from cold weather benefits to smart adaptations, and learn how to optimise their performance:

How Can Cold Weather Boost Solar Panel Output?

So, how can solar street lights work in winter? The science behind solar panels reveals why they might do better in winter. Surprisingly, they do not need warmth to work. Cold weather can increase their efficiency. Efficiency improves because the cooler temperatures make the electrons in the semiconductor materials of the panels less active, leading to a smoother flow of electricity. This means it is possible to generate more power.

The Brighter Side of Snow for Solar Street Lights

Winter can mean less sunlight due to the cloudy and shorter days. The blockages of buildings and trees matter more during this time. So, it is crucial to place solar panels where they can absorb as much sunlight as possible. Similarly, choosing the right solar inverter is vital to maximising the solar panel.

We may ignore it, but snow can be helpful as it reflects extra light onto the solar panels, boosting their output. Snow, with its reflective shine, can help solar panels by increasing the light that hits them, potentially giving them a 50% boost in output. This benefit of snow reflectivity highlights the need for creative solar solutions, ensuring lights stay on in winter's harsh conditions. For panels to fully take advantage of this, they must be angled correctly so snow slides off, keeping the cells exposed to light.

Also Read: The Modern Trends in Solar Street Lights

Batteries Built for Winter

Advanced battery technology is central to solar street light performance in winter. Here is why these batteries are important:

• Handle extreme colds well, especially when protected by burying or insulating.
• Energy-efficient.
• Require less space.

These battery features boost solar street lights' efficiency and life span, making them more reliable in winter. Lithium-ion and lithium fluorophosphate types lead the pack. For instance, Nantech’s luminous batteries showcase these advancements.

Keeping Lights on Through Winter

Specific maintenance steps can improve solar streetlights’ dependability and operational efficiency in winter. Such maintenance steps include:

• Burying batteries deep enough to avoid frost damage.
• Make sure the batteries are charged up.
• Removing snow and debris from panels.
• Keeping panels clean to stop snow from piling up.
• Tilting the panels based on your location's latitude.

Adapting to Winter With Smart Controls

Cold weather presents unique challenges but also offers smart opportunities for effective solutions. To optimise the performance of your solar panels, you may have to activate the control system. To do so:

1. Adjust LED brightness and operating hours based on season and weather.
2. Dim or turn off lights when unnecessary, and activate them to detect motion.
3. Keep an eye on the battery and solar output to minimise waste.

These controls, along with advanced technology like Nantech’s isolation transformers, boost the resilience and effectiveness of solar street lights against winter’s downsides.

Brighten Up Your Winters With Sustainable Solar Solutions

As winter looms, many feel that the reliability of solar street lighting will be compromised. On the other hand, leveraging intelligent controls and cutting-edge battery technology can significantly improve their efficiency. Routine maintenance and thoughtful placement to ensure optimal functioning amidst shorter days and lower temperatures will increase the panels' efficiency. For those considering enhanced winter defence for efficient solar lighting, Nantech can provide expert advice and customised solutions. Contact Nantech’s solar panel dealers to make your solar power system even more efficient during the winter. Face the winter challenges with a smile!

Solar Street Lights: At the Forefront of the Green Energy Revolution

The wind, water, and sun are the three big players of Green Energy. Of the three, solar energy has grabbed global attention as an effective solution to reduce energy consumption and environmental damage.

The global shift is driven by government initiatives and a massive adoption of solar lighting systems like solar street lights. Why solar street lights? The answer is obvious. The entire world is focussing on sustainable power sources to curtail greenhouse emissions. The relentless pursuit of green power drives the need and the market growth for solar street lights. Here's the proof: Global experts say that the market for solar street lighting will reach $14billion by 2027, with a post-Covid CAGR of 14.7%.

Why are solar street lights popular?

In India, solar street lights are a common sight. Thousands of them dot the highways that criss-cross the length and breadth of the country. As dawn turns to dusk, these solar street lights come alive and flood the highways with clean, sustainable power.

Standalone solar street lights are fast gaining power for some good reasons. They are:

• Cost-effective
• Low-maintenance
• Renewable energy
• Usable even in remote areas
• Wire and cable-free

How do they work?

Rather than relying upon on-grid power supply, solar street lights rely on batteries or photovoltaic cells for solar energy storage. This aspect makes solar street lights a feasible option to power highways and roads in remote places without any power grid source. These systems can also use the stored energy by converting it into electricity as per the requirement. For your solar street lights to function well, they must be exposed to direct sunlight, allowing them to soak up the solar energy for at least eight hours. Once charged, they are good to go for the rest of the night.

If you are looking to invest in solar street lights, it is undoubtedly a wise decision because these solar-powered solutions are fast gaining traction. The popularity of these street lights is driving the market and vice versa. The solar lighting market is flooded with dozens of options that could be overwhelming for inexperienced investors. If you are not well-informed, you may buy low-quality solar street lamps manufactured with sub-par materials.

However, our blog is packed with all the information you need to consider when investing in solar street lights. Let's read on.

11 Factors to Consider Before Buying Solar Street Lights

1.The light source

When make enquiries about solar street light dealers in Chennai for solar-powered lamp sources, they come up with several options like:

• Energy-saving lamps
• LED lamps
• Induction lamps
• Sodium lamps

Of these choices, the best option that's a close replica of the sun's spectrum is the LED light. Nowadays, smart solar-powered LED lights are powered by higher lumens that use less energy. Furthermore, LED lights make solar power integration simple and easy. So, they could be the better choice.

2.The type of battery

All solar lights are powered by batteries, which are available in two types:

• Lithium batteries
• Lead-acid batteries

Of the two, lithium batteries are better because they have:

• Longer lifespan
• Stronger resistance to temperature (upto 45 degrees Celsius)
• Various charge and discharge times ( up to three times more than that of lead batteries)
• Better battery capacity to provide the right lighting efficiency

It is important to note that the battery capacity should meet the lighting efficiency requirement. If not, the street lamp will not provide adequate lighting during the rainy season.

3.The temperature and latitude

When you are at a latitude greater than 15 degrees, the sun's inclination angle with the ground is greater than 15 degrees. Therefore, you must consider solar street lights with adjustable solar panels. Also, the panels of solar street lights installed on both sides of the road should not face away from the sun.

4.The heat dissipation performance

The heat dissipation is another important factor determining the LED lamp's quality. Basically, heat dissipation is nothing more than the transfer of heat. However, dissipation also refers to heat loss driven by undesirable effects. Therefore, every time the heat dissipation is inadequate, the lifespan of the semiconductor device in the street lamp is shortened. It is better to choose anti-ultraviolet and fireproof LED lights to ensure adequate heat dissipation.

5.The Illumination levels

When considering solar street lights, look for details about the footcandles as they determine the illumination on the floor. Ideally, the bright/dark ratio should be 4:1, but a minimum ratio of 3:1 is also good. You should also consider the colour temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin.

6.The temperature of the black lamp housing

It is better to opt for light coloured lamps since black coloured lamps are highly heat absorbing. If the lamp is black, the temperature of the metal shell can reach up to 90 degrees Celsius underexposure. The high temperature will destroy the battery and the LED light source. Therefore, choose a silver shell that will not absorb heat or fade when placed outdoors.

7.The controller

Charging and discharging controllers are also known as solar controllers, and they coordinate the work of solar panels, storage batteries, and loads. An effective heat dissipation function is crucial for selecting a controller. Another essential feature is temperature compensation. A smart controller has been added to prevent overcharging and undercharging of solar batteries. You would be better off investing in a smart solar controller with built-in communication that allows real-time monitoring and control of the system. The controller would offer maximum performance and longevity.

8. The sensors

The sensors are of two types:

• Microwave induction ( can sense moving objects)
• Infrared induction (detect only temperature-bearing organisms)

The PIR or the Passive Infrared Sensor is included in many solar street lights to help conserve energy. The sensors work by measuring infrared light allowing the sensor to detect movement.

9. The solar controller

The solar controller coordinates the work of the panels, loads, and batteries. Hence it is essential to pick a controller which gives you the following benefits:

• Good heat dissipation function
• Temperature compensation
• Prevention of overcharging and undercharging
• Built-in communication with interactive control
• Real-time system monitoring
• Maximum performance and longevity

10. The solar panel

The solar panel is the main component of the solar street lighting system. To determine the quality of the solar panels, you should:

• Check for even distribution of the silica gel around the back, backplane and frame.
• Examine the string welding for leakage regularity of the cell arrangement.
• Examine the pressure quality on the back and check for irregularities like bubbles and wrinkles.
• Check the battery panel's tempered glass surface for any foreign matter.
• Ensure that each battery cell is complete and created through integral cutting.

11. Service and warranty

Solar street lamps are certainly a big investment. Hence you need to ensure the manufacturer offers an extended warranty period of 20 to 25 years. Also, look for reputable solar street light dealers that offer good after-sales services.

Choosing Between Various Types of Solar Street Lights

• When choosing solar street lights, it is also advantageous to know the various models available on the market.
• Solar pole lights

In this model, the solar panels are attached to the poles. This panel positioning is slightly disadvantageous because the sunlight effect is minimal, and the absorption effect is only one-fifth of the ordinary solar lights. Moreover, the absorption rate is almost nil when the sun is directly above.

• Solar and wind energy hybrid street lights

The conversion equipment is different in this model because the conversion mechanisms are different. If wind energy is used to charge the battery, it will cause decay and affect the battery life. Hence, this model may not be the right choice if you are looking for solar lights that will last a long time.

Get the Nantech expertise and guidance on solar street lights.

Nantech Power Systems Pvt Ltd are one of the most recognized solar street light dealers in Chennai. We have years of experience dealing with off-grid and on-grid solar power plants and street light installations. Want to power up your locality? Call us today.

Advancing into a sustainable world, there has been a paradigm shift globally onto the usage of solar-powered products. Solar street lights are the emerging renewable light sources for our streets. They use photovoltaic (PV) panels or commonly called solar panels for the conversion of solar energy into electrical energy.

Components and types of solar street lights

Many types of solar street lights are manufactured based on different types of each component.

• Solar panel /PV:

Firstly, panels are available for various wattage systems starting from a minimum of 8W. Two types of panels of conversion are available, namely, mono-crystalline & poly-crystalline. Monocrystalline panels have higher conversion rates.

• Lighting fixture:

Smart solar lights use LED lights against fluorescent lamps as they consume lesser energy, are highly luminous and save capital. The Government of India runs the world’s largest streetlight replacement programme called LED Street Lighting National Programme (SNLP). The Greater Chennai Corporation has switched to LED lamps for street lights which is helping them save about 30Cr annually!

• Pole:

The pole needs to stand strong for climatic variations like rain and wind resistance. Usually, the pole has attached to it, the lamp, PV and additional accessories, if any. Nantech provides durable and corrosion resistant poles with an alluring look.

• Battery:

A battery is rechargeable during the day. It is meant to store the electrical energy which is converted from solar energy by the PV and is used during the night. Energy can be stored to work as a backup on cloudy or rainy days, thus making the lifetime of a battery crucial. While the gel cell deep cycle batteries & lead-acid batteries are common, the lithium-ion batteries are an emerging trend because of their higher lifetime of about 5 years.

Novel Features Of Solar Street Lights

• Not only are they environmentally friendly products, new features can save a great deal of energy and bills as well.
• Most products today have an automatic controller which switches on the street light when the sun (or a bright light source) is not detected and gets dim or switched off accordingly in the day.
• There is a feature of dimming of lights in some smart products today when no movement is sensed about 4-10 metres around the street light. (motion sensor)
• The best kind of products need low maintenance costs, easy and quick installation, all of which is covered by Nantech for its customers.

Trends

• The Government of India targets to install solar renewable energy sources producing at least 100GW energy up till 2022. It includes solar street lights, solar panels for domestic use besides mega solar projects. Tamil Nadu is one of the five leading states for utility-scale solar projects.
• The market got hit due to covid crisis but with government initiatives and advanced product features, the demand is ever increasing.
• It is observed in the regional market trends that developing countries like India are preferring solar lights as part of rapid urbanization and smart cities development. They are suitable for cities like Chennai with sunny weather where frequent power cuts are experienced, best installed at locations where electric supply reach is inadequate.

Solar street lights can be used for residential, commercial as well as industrial purposes. The appealing and substantial benefits of switching to cleaner and greener energy resources has struck people around the world! Do check out our products at Nantech Power Systems Pvt Ltd.

Solar Energy is now taking the world by storm. We can see this in the many advancements in technology by our Indian scientists and by the Indian Government's proactive legislatures. In 2018, the Chennai Civic Body had launched a Rs. 140 Crore venture project which plans on changing 70000 streetlights in over 15 zones, out of which 8 zones – Thiruvottiyur, Manali, Madhavaram, Ambattur, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi, and Sholinganallur are all going have 17000 redone post lamps with streetlights introduced. Estimates are that this project could bring a 45% lessening in electricity consumption.

The focus is now on more greener and efficient technologies like solar streetlights, which use solar panels and LEDs. But why must you change over to Solar Street Lights? We shall present you with 5 compelling arguments to switch over to Solar Streetlights in Chennai!.

Solar Street Light Dealers in Chennai Explain the Recent Interest in Solar Street Lights!

Solar power is one of the cleanest and most sustainable sources of electrical energy! It especially makes sense to go for it in places like Chennai where there is no shortage of bright sunlight. Thus, a considerable number of industrial establishments, residential townships and gated communities in the city are now turning towards solar powered street lights to light up their private roads and thoroughfares!

Also Read: Why Is It A Must To Invest In UPS or Inverter in Chennai?

Find Out How Solar Street Lights Work - From One of the Best Solar Street Light Dealers in Chennai!

Solar street lights are typically LED-based self-illuminating devices. A solar street light usually contains a photo-voltaic (PV) system that converts solar energy from sunlight into electrical energy and stores it in a self-contained battery unit.

As the day comes to a close, the voltage in the PV unit falls, triggering the battery on and making the LED light glow. The street lights burn the brightest during the first few hours of the night. But as daybreak approaches, the intensity of the light reduces gradually and shuts off completely when there is enough light to get the PV module going again.

Some solar street lights have motion sensors to glow brighter when people are about while remaining at optimal brightness the rest of the time.

The Many Benefits of Solar Street Lights in Chennai!

Energy Efficiency

This is probably the single main USP of solar street lights! They do not need to draw on the power supply from any grid as they are standalone, self-contained units. Since they have sensors to trigger automatic on/off and dimming of lights based on the availability of natural light, they do not use any more power than what is required for lighting up our streets.

Independence From Grid

As we saw earlier, solar-powered street lights do not depend on any electricity grid to function. So, they are not affected by any power disruptions in the power network either. Thus, if there is a power blackout in an area, the street lights would still be on.

Wireless!

No more messy wires hanging from electric lamp poles because solar street lights are compact independent units that do not need to be interconnected with each other. Since the battery is usually sealed into the PV unit itself, these lights are virtually wireless!

Illumination in Remote Locations

Since solar street light are off-grid, they are ideal for illuminating remote locations which do not have access to the local power grid. They need to be just transported and installed in the required spots without any significant complications.

Green Energy

Solar street lights are incredibly gentle on the environment with hardly any carbon footprint. What is more, they are highly sustainable and 100% pollution free.

So, what are you waiting for? Get a quote from the best dealers of these “wonder” lights in the city, do a comparative study of solar street light price in Chennai and start lighting up your neighbourhood!