Educational 9 January 2025
As cities and businesses across North America look for ways to reduce their costs and carbon footprints, solar lighting continues to gain traction as a practical, affordable, and environmentally friendly option. Accelerating the shift is an influx of government funding, as well as technological advancements, falling costs, and a shared vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
With 2025 underway, the solar lighting industry stands at an exciting crossroads where innovation meets growing market demand. To understand where things are headed, we sat down with our team to discuss the trends and developments they expect to shape solar lighting in the year ahead.
What’s the status of solar lighting in 2025?
Shelbie: It’s definitely catching on, especially with municipalities. More and more cities are doing it, and more and more are seeing that it’s not some fringe, experimental thing that may or may not work out in the long term. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s mainstream, but I think we’re reaching the end of the early adopter phase and entering more of a major deployment phase.
JJ: It’s already happening. We’re seeing neighborhood-wide developments in places like Los Angeles and Fort Worth, and I think that as people see the success of these large-scale pilots—that they’re saving significant money, that solar works just as well as, or better, than grid-tied lights—investment is going to take off.
You mentioned performance. Can you talk briefly about how solar lights compare to grid lights in terms of output and reliability?
Mat: In the Sunbelt, we can already match the performance of grid-tied lights for street lighting. We can hit the IES-recommended light levels, and because the lights are off-grid, they’re actually more reliable in the event of a storm or power outage.
Martin: Over the past couple years, we’ve seen massive improvements to solar panel efficiency and LED efficacy. That’s allowed companies like ours to push the boundaries of what solar can do, and where it can compete with the grid. It might just be the Sunbelt now, but that area where we can achieve ‘grid parity’ is expanding. In 10 years, we might even be able to match grid-tied streetlights in Canada.
Besides performance, the cost of solar lighting has historically been a stumbling block for some. Do you see prices coming down in 2025?
Martin: Yes. Solar panels are becoming more efficient, meaning you can power the same system with a smaller, cheaper panel. Battery costs are coming down, too. And then there’s the fact that you don’t need to trench and lay cable with solar. You put one light every 125 feet—it’ll cost you $30-50 per linear foot. That’s $3,500 before you even turn your light on.
JJ: And then when you do… energy costs are rising. I think last year where I am [in Florida], the price of electricity rose something like 8% over the previous year. If you’re looking at a residential development with hundreds of streetlights or even something smaller like a parking lot, these increases really add up over time.
Shelbie: Government funding is also making solar lighting more affordable and accessible. The biggest source is the Investment Tax Credit, which can reduce the cost of a solar lighting installation by 30% or more, but there are a bunch of grants and rebates that cities are tapping into to bring down their costs.
That’s fantastic. With performance improving and costs decreasing, what are the remaining obstacles to solar lighting achieving widespread adoption?
Damien: A lot of it comes down to education, to teaching people the basics of what goes into a system, and what makes a sustainable one. Right now, the market is saturated with cheap, undersized, and generally poor-quality products. Unless customers have some knowledge of solar panel and battery sizing, it’s easy to make the mistake of purchasing one of them.
Martin: There’s cheap solar, and there’s solar done well. Unfortunately, a lot of people just put it all in one basket and say solar lighting doesn’t work because they tried it once and it didn’t work. Part of our job is countering those negative experiences and educating customers to differentiate high-quality solutions from cheap knock-offs.
As we step into 2025, solar lighting stands at a pivotal moment. Growing numbers of cities and companies are turning to solar lighting as a proven solution that delivers reliability, safety, and environmental benefits.
However, as new companies enter the market, it’s critical to work with an established manufacturer that understands the complexities of the technology. With 35 years of industry experience, Sol remains committed to providing expert guidance tailored to each project’s needs, ensuring successful, sustainable installations.
Ready to see how solar lighting can benefit your next project?
