Educational 10 September 2024
Report after report confirms it: Things are not looking good for the planet. Glaciers are retreating. Sea levels are rising. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe. We’re nowhere near keeping global temperatures under 1.5°C.
It can all seem pretty grim, but there are ways to improve the situation—and not just at the individual, bring-a-reusable-bag level. Cities, which are home to more than half the world’s population and are responsible for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, have a critical role to play in combatting climate change.
Fortunately, most of them know this. Municipalities from New York to San Diego have set ambitious targets to reduce their environmental impact and build a more sustainable future. Though the scale and the complexity of the challenge can’t be underestimated, much of it comes down to pivoting away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources like solar, including for—you guessed it!—lighting.
In this article, we’ll explore the environmental benefits of solar lights and how they can help cities reduce emissions, build resilience, and promote renewable energy in their communities.
Street and area lighting is one of the largest energy draws under a municipality’s control. According to the Climate Group, it typically constitutes 20-40% of electricity consumed by municipalities. And since most of this electricity comes from burning coal, natural gas, and petroleum (AKA fossil fuels), reducing its use is a priority.
One way to do that is to switch to LEDs, which use significantly less energy than traditional lighting technologies. But even if LEDs cut energy by 70%—the high end of most estimates—they still rely on electricity generated from fossil fuels and contribute to emissions.
Solar lights, by contrast, are powered entirely by a clean, abundant, and renewable source: the sun. Systems soak up sunlight during the day and convert it to electricity that is stored in batteries for use at night. Fully autonomous, lights don’t draw any power from the grid, allowing energy to be conserved, grid load lightened, and power outages reduced.
Eliminating the need for non-renewable energy is a win in and of itself, but there’s another benefit to taking public lighting off the grid: solar power is free. Municipalities that switch to solar no longer have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to their utility each month—and they don’t have to worry about the rising price of electricity either.
In addition to energy savings, solar lights are known for their low maintenance requirements and long service life. Unlike conventional lamps that need to be replaced every few years, solar lights like Sol’s use high-quality fixtures that can last a decade or more. High-density batteries have a lifespan of 5-10 years, while the industry standard for solar panels is 20-30 years.
Over time, the savings from utility bills and maintenance expenses can add up to a significant amount. This makes solar lighting not only a good investment but also a potential catalyst for other sustainability initiatives. Money not spent on electricity can be reallocated to public transit, pedestrian infrastructure, green spaces, and other projects.
You might not think it, but social influence is a potent force for spurring renewable energy adoption. Even if people know something exists and understand its benefits, having it physically present and effectively endorsed by their community is a different thing altogether.
Researchers long ago documented the effect residential solar installations can have on increasing the overall presence of solar in a neighborhood. But they’ve recently shown that the same “solar seeding effect” applies to non-residential installations, such as those implemented by governments, businesses, and schools.
According to data from across the country, every non-residential solar installation in a zip code “seeds” one to four additional installations. By selecting solar lighting, municipalities not only reap the benefits directly but also build awareness of renewable solutions, inviting other organizations and households to join the transition.
Cities may contribute significantly to climate change, but they are also essential to the solution. By selecting sustainable infrastructure like solar lighting, using the savings to fund other initiatives, and empowering their community to take part, municipalities can lead the way to a more livable and sustainable planet.
