Commercial illumination projects need to keep lighting all the time, sturdy and economical. The cost of electricity for the conventional grid powered street light is quite high, in addition, complicated wiring networks are inevitable. The solar powered street light itself does not rely on external electricity and hence can be widely used in remote areas as well as cities.

Modern solar LED street light systems integrate advanced solar panels, lithium batteries, intelligent controllers, and high-efficiency LED luminaires to deliver reliable lighting throughout the night. 

1. Check Lighting Requirements

The lighting requirement of the project is the first point to consider while choosing a solar street light. Factors to be taken into consideration are:

• Width and length of the road

• Height of the pole

• Light required level

• Traffic load

• Operating hours

High wattage LED street light systems may be needed for the commercial locations like industrial estates, warehouse complexes, highways and parking lots when compare to the lighting needs of residential areas or pathways. Right wattage would reduce cost and avoid over-consumption with higher wattage lights.

2. Check Solar Panel Capacity

A solar street light uses a solar panel as the main source of energy. Its capacity would decide efficiency in the system charging while the sun is shining brightly.

Key factors to consider while checking a solar LED street light would be:

• Efficiency of solar panels

• Wattage of solar panels

• Weather resistance of solar panel

• Performance in the monsoon conditions

The battery technology must be chosen wisely. A good quality panel will generate enough power regardless of weather.

3. Choose a Battery Technology appropriately

The quality of the battery plays a critical role in how reliable a solar street light will be.

Many commercial applications nowadays are using the Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery for the reasons described below.

• Long lifespan
• High thermal stability
• Fast charging efficiency
• Higher efficiency
• Low maintenance

A reliable battery system guarantees that a solar LED street light functions continuously through periods of cloud cover and/or long periods of low light intensity. Modern intelligent battery management systems have been introduced for sophisticated solar street lights.

4. Prioritize LED efficiency and lumen output.

No two LED street light fixtures are exactly alike. Don’t get bogged down on the wattage of the LED fixture; rather, examine the lumen output and the efficacy of the LED fixture.

Factors to consider when analyzing the efficiency and lumen output of a particular LED fixture include:

• Lumens per watt

• Consistent and uniform light distribution

• Color temperature

• LED lifetime

For business applications, the ideal LED fixtures would utilize high efficiency LEDs that supply maximum brightness, while utilizing the least amount of energy. High quality LED fixtures can maintain the same usage for over 50,000 hours and dramatically reduce the total amount of money saved due to maintenance over the fixture’s lifetime.

5. Choosing the Best System Layout

You have a few options to choose from for a commercial solar street light setup:

Integrated solar street light

These are best suited for a small commercial job. Everything is housed within the one fixture which can be easily installed: solar panel, LED light, controller and battery.

Semi-integrated solar street light

This setup still looks very clean but can house more battery power and gives you a little more flexibility on installation.

Centralized solar street lighting system

If you are a major infrastructure job, a centralized setup is most suitable. This setup provides maximum scalability and ease of management.

It all depends on how much you’re looking to spend and how functional you want your solar street lighting setup to be.

6. Think about smart lighting capabilities

Current commercial solar-powered street lights have got to be smarter than ever before. Some of the new features available today are;

• Motion sensors

• Auto dimming

• Intelligent lighting systems

• Remote monitoring

• Live battery diagnostics

• Automated day and night detection

7. Test Durability & Weather resistance

The weather in India is very erratic, right from scorching heat to monsoons and hence commercial solar LED street light systems should be suitable for rugged outdoor use.

You should look for:

• Materials resistant to corrosion

• Aluminium built structure

• High IP ratings

• UV resistant components

• Wind load resistant structure

8. Inspect Quality and Certifications

Quality and safety certifications are a must for any trustworthy manufacturer.

Some relevant certifications could be:

• ISI Certified

• BIS compliant

• MNRE compliant

• IP rated quality standard

This is to ensure they produce well-performing, durable and safe products.

9.Warranty and After-Sales Service

Solar street light projects are a long term investment. The only solution for systems uptime is adequate after-sales service.

Before buying you should check:

• Warranty on the product

• Battery warranty on the batteries

• Availability of spare parts

• After-sales service

• Maintenance service

Purchase from a reliable solar street light supplier to support you long term.