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Solar Power Lights Offer A Green Touch For Outdoor Illumination
from: One place that many home and business owners are really keen on taking a green approach involves their outdoor landscaping. Native landscape designs are being pushed to limit water consumption in areas all over the world, and now many people are also discovering the benefits of using solar power lights in their designs.Solar power lights for outdoor use can provide a number of benefits especially in landscaping. These self-contained systems can provide the illumination that home and business owners desire without the added impacts on the environment. Although solar power lights for outdoor use can range in actual style, the standard design include such things as:
• A solar panel or panels to drive the systems – In the case of outdoor lighting, solar panels are generally small and are designed to only garner enough energy to power the lights included in a kit. These panels are also designed to blend in fairly well with outdoor surroundings.
• An inverter and battery – Solar power lights for outdoor use do tend to have an inverter and battery in the mix. These components in most kits are designed to take the DC power that solar panels produce and turn it into usable AC power. This, in turn, is stored in batteries during the day for operating the lights at night.
• A light sensitive timer – Many solar power lights for outdoor use come with a light sensitive timer that turns them on when the sun goes down. This is excellent for ensuring proper illumination when it is needed and conserving power when the sun is up and the lights don’t really need to be on.
• The lights themselves – This is where the variance factor can really come into play. Solar power lights can range from outdoor street light designs to strings of small lamps used to outline flower beds. Home and business owners will also find solar powered flood lights are available.
• The bulbs – Although this is not always true, most solar power lighting kits include LED light bulbs. These highly efficient bulbs require less power to operate and last longer than standard incandescent designs. Depending on the design of the bulb, LED lighting systems can also provide more illumination. They are, for example, often the bulbs included in solar powered flood light kits.
Solar power lights can add greatly to the appearance and environmental friendliness of an outdoor landscaping design. This type of self-contained system gathers its own power during the day, turns itself on at night and then shuts down again when the sun comes up. Considering the self-sufficiency of this type of system, it’s fairly easy to understand why many home and business owners are turning to the sun’s energy to illuminate their nights.
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Solar Home Power News
Plug-in solar panels: Worth the cost? - Christian Science Monitor
 Christian Science Monitor | Plug-in solar panels: Worth the cost? Christian Science Monitor At this stage, plug-in solar panels are so early in their development that their quality and effectiveness are questionable. But the idea has potential. By Russ Finley, Guest blogger / May 26, 2012 People gather in front of a bank of solar panels on ... |
Utility regulators more than double California's solar power goal - Los Angeles Times
 Los Angeles Times | Utility regulators more than double California's solar power goal Los Angeles Times Proponents say the Public Utilities Commission decision to expand its "net metering" program would help California remain the nation's leader in solar power. Above, solar panels shade the rooftop deck of a Hollywood Hills home. PUC to rule on solar credits Colorado PUC voted Thursday to cut solar subsidies nearly in half California expands solar net metering program |
Act Now: Solar Panels Deadline Revealed - Energy Digital (press release)
 Solar Power Portal (blog) | Act Now: Solar Panels Deadline Revealed Energy Digital (press release) LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwire - May 25, 2012) - As expected, the Government have announced the changes they will be making to the feed-in tariff scheme linked with solar panels. The DECC have revealed that tariff rates will be slashed by nearly ... UK solar subsidy to be cut Taking a step back: have Government's cuts really killed the solar industry? I ... UK proposes FiT of £0.16 for 4kW systems |
Conn. subsidies seen spurring home solar power - BusinessWeek
 Press Herald | Conn. subsidies seen spurring home solar power BusinessWeek By STEPHEN SINGER Dmitri Donskoy figures he'll save only $20 a month on his electricity bill after solar panels are installed on the roof of his home under a state-subsidized program. But he shrugs it off because the green energy appeals to his ... Connecticut subsidies seen spurring home solar power |
Lake James Cellars adds solar power to old mill - Morganton News Herald
Lake James Cellars adds solar power to old mill Morganton News Herald “After the dam was built, they had hydroelectric power,” said Michael Fowler who co-owns Lake James Cellars, the business currently calling the building home. Times have since changed and so has energy technology. Now, the mill turned winery is running ... |