Solar lighting is not new.

In fact, thanks to mass production in China, many homes now incorporate at least some element of solar lighting, largely due to its sheer convenience and affordable price tag. However, solar lighting has also gained a reputation as a cheap, quick fix to a challenging situation, rather than a reliable, long-lasting solution. While there may be some truth to this, it only tells half the story.

What does a solar street light actually comprise of?  

Every solar street light comprises of four key components:  

1. Solar panel – converts radiation from the sun into electricity  
2. Battery – stores the electricity generated from the solar panels  
3. Controller – regulates the release of electricity from the battery to power the LED light 
4. LED light fitting – contains the luminaires which emit light

Most solar street lights are ‘integrated solar street lights’, which simply means that all four components above are integrated into one body. These street lights tend to have a modern aesthetic and look like this:  

How does the cost compare with conventional street lighting?  

Each unit of solar lighting will inevitably cost more than a conventional LED fitting of a similar wattage. However, this is not an apple-to-apple comparison. As discussed above, the LED fitting is only one of four components comprising a solar street light. The real value of a solar street light lies in the capacity and efficiency of its solar panel, the technology behind its controller and the quality and lifespan of its battery. Cost-wise, the battery will always be the most expensive (and heavy) component of a solar street light. However, it is also the greatest point of failure and is therefore worth the investment.  

In comparing the cost of solar street lighting versus conventional street lighting, we need to consider all the various elements involved during installation. Aside from the LED fitting, a conventional street lighting system comprises of the street lighting pole, its mounting plinth, the cables connecting the street light to the power source, the underground ducting that the cables are enclosed in, a street lighting control panel, a meter kiosk, and all the excavation and making-good of the ground under which the cables are buried. All these elements require significant manpower, machinery, time and cost to install.

For a solar street lighting installation, only three elements are required – the mounting plinth, the street lighting pole and the solar street lighting itself. There are no cables in the ground, which removes the time and cost of excavation. This also vastly increases the ease of maintenance thereafter. Arguably, the largest advantage is that a solar street light is 100% off-grid since it has its own battery storage. In other words, it does not need to rely on an external power supply. Energy independence means freedom from any power supply disruptions from TNB . Besides that, there is additional cost-savings since there is no need to pay for electricity to power these street lights.  

As M&E contractors with nearly 40 years of experience in electrical infrastructure, we have done detailed cost comparisons for our clients. We can confidently confirm that the costs of a solar street lighting system are now less than the costs of a conventional street lighting installation, even without taking into account the additional cost-savings post-installation. 

But are solar street lights reliable or long-lasting enough?  

Price is only one side of the coin, especially where the safety of the public is concerned. Fortunately, the Malaysian Public Works Department, Jabatan Kerja Raya Malaysia (JKR), has set out comprehensive standards that solar street lighting suppliers are required to fulfil for their products to be used on public roads.  

For example, batteries in the solar street lights must have at least 2 days autonomy (back-up) on a full charge. This is mainly to mitigate against any bad weather. Solar street lights must also be able to perform at 100% brightness for 4 hours, 60% brightness for 2 hours and 40% brightness for 6 hours every night. Crucially, each solar street light must have a 5-year product warranty upon procurement. This will guarantee quality while reducing further maintenance costs for the authorities once handed over by the relevant developers.  

These exacting standards have and will continue to help to filter off products that may be good enough for personal use, but not for public use. Of course, quality does come with a price. However, as mentioned above, the overall cost of solar lighting is still going to be less than the cost of conventional street lighting, all things considered.  

At Linkbuild, we are proud to be distributors of G&C Sunrise’s STR300 solar street lights, which we have installed for various projects in Johor and across Peninsular and East Malaysia. These solar street lights are SIRIM-certified and fulfil all of JKR’s requirements and more. Having been tested and proven in East Malaysia, which has notoriously unpredictable weather, our projects in Peninsular Malaysia have been performing excellently to date, with close to zero maintenance required following installation.

Please feel free to contact us if you are interested to find out more!