Brightening up Roads with LED Lights from Innovative Solar Road Markers
- sladmin
- February 22 2023
Did you know that there are over 1.44 billion cars on the road today? Of these, 20 million are in Australia alone. That’s a staggering 4 million increase in registered motor vehicles in Australia since 2010.
With the growing number of motor vehicles, it is essential to prioritise safety by promoting driver and pedestrian compliance.
One way to achieve this is by ensuring roads are well-lit, especially in low-visibility conditions. A well-lit road helps drivers see road markings and understand what movements are legal or prohibited, thereby avoiding accidents. However, traditional street lighting systems are expensive to install and maintain, especially in rural areas.
To overcome this, innovative solar road markers have been developed that use LED lights to illuminate roads at night.
What’s Special About Solar Road Markers?
Solar road markers are small, durable, and eco-friendly devices that illuminate roads at night using stored solar energy. These markers are placed on the side of the road and use solar power and batteries to make and store energy during the day. At night, LED lights are powered using stored energy, providing visibility for drivers.
Solar road markers such as these also enhance road visibility during conditions like fog, mist, and rain when visibility is poor, as they are visible over 800 meters. With features such as cast aluminium and polycarbonate construction and a load rating of 10-20 tonnes, they have an expected lifespan of over five years. They're incredibly convenient as they are trafficable, self-contained, rechargeable, and with automatic dusk-to-dawn lighting.
Benefits of Innovative Solar Road Markers
One of the primary benefits of using solar lights for signs and road markers is their eco-friendliness. Solar road markers do not emit harmful pollutants or contribute to greenhouse gas emissions like traditional electric lighting.
Furthermore, conventional street lighting systems consume a lot of electricity, while solar road markers, which are powered by renewable energy, reduce the carbon footprint of illuminating roads. As they don't require a power source or connectivity to an electric grid, there's no electricity bill nor the need for extensive installation, reducing costs and minimising maintenance.
Another benefit of using solar road markers is their durability. Traditional street lighting systems are prone to damage from extreme weather conditions, leading to the need for frequent repairs and replacements. Since solar road markers are built to withstand harsh weather conditions, they are a reliable source of light on roads.
Solar road markers are also highly efficient. Research estimates that at least 70% of the light from traditional street lights is wasted as we cannot channel it to the road. Since we can direct illumination from solar road markers, they are more efficient and do not contribute to light pollution.
Another advantage of solar road markers is that they are cost-effective. While the initial cost of installation may be higher than traditional street lighting systems, operation and maintenance costs are significantly lower. With no electrical wiring or bulbs that need replacing, using solar lights for signs means time and money saving compared to traditional electric lighting.
Solar road markers also offer a high level of customisation. Traditional street lighting systems are limited in design options, while solar lights for signs come in various designs and colours, making it easier to match them with the surrounding environment. Additionally, we can program LED lights to flash in different patterns, making it easier to highlight specific areas or warn drivers of potential hazards.
Conclusion
Solar road markers are a cost-effective, eco-friendly, and reliable alternative to traditional street lighting systems. And with their various design options and customisation capabilities, they offer an innovative solution for brightening roads and ensuring road safety.
If you require innovative lighting solutions for your site, private road, or warehouse, consider this line of solar road markers.
Solar-powered technology has already revolutionised the way we generate and use energy. Not only do solar-powered systems provide a clean, sustainable, and cost-effective source of energy, they do so for a wide range of applications. One such application is the use of solar lights for signs, especially road markers, also known as solar road studs or solar pavement markers.
Ready to learn more about how solar-powered technology can better road safety?
Can Solar Technology Be Used for Road Markers?
Did you know that the smallest solar panel is the size of your thumbnail? That’s right.
Solar panels don’t just come in the size you see on your roof or the lights on the streets. Since it is possible to design solar panels that can fit a gadget that measures 15cm by 12cm, solar technology can be used for road markers.
Wondering why we need solar-powered technology for road markers?
Traditional Road Markers vs Solar Road Markers
Road markers, also known as road reflectors or raised pavement markers, are used to enhance the visibility of roads at night and in inclement weather. They are typically made of reflective material and are placed on the road surface to guide drivers and alert them to potential hazards.
Pre-solar technology, different materials were used to provide driving aids on roads. Depending on their placement, road authorities would use either paint, reflective tape, or raised markers with and without retroreflecting lenses. Over time, road markers come equipped with flashing lights and batteries. While their construction material differs, these driving aids serve one purpose–to guide drivers and alert them to potential hazards.
Solar road markers are similar to cat’s eyes, the difference being their capacity to harness the sun’s power. A solar road stud typically has an aluminium body with slots to attach it to the ground. The solar panel rests directly under the heavy-duty top face. Reflectors and LED lights are placed on the sides. Their functioning is simple–during the day, the solar panel helps make solar energy, which is then stored in the supercapacitor. Once the road marker no longer sense any sunlight, the LEDS switch on.
Traditional road markers have a variety of limitations. Whether paint or reflective tape type, they need regular maintenance and replacement, which can be costly and time-consuming. Similarly, electrical road markers need to be powered by batteries or the electrical grid–power sources that have several limitations–batteries need to be replaced approximately every three years or in rural areas, connecting road markers to the electrical grid can be difficult and expensive.
Solar-powered road markers, however, are powered by the sun. They need neither electrical grid connectivity nor batteries. The supercapacitors used in solar road markers only need replacement every 8-10 years, reducing the long-term running cost of solar road markers.
Read on to learn why solar-powered road markers are a viable alternative to their traditional counterparts.
Benefits of Solar Road Markers
One of the key benefits of solar lights for signs and road markers is that they are highly reliable. Solar road markers can work for years without needing maintenance, and they are not affected by power outages or other issues that can disrupt traditional road markers. They are especially useful in remote areas or where traditional road markers are impractical, such as on bridges or in tunnels as they don’t require any additional infrastructure. Solar-powered road markers are also environmentally friendly, as they do not produce emissions or pollutants.
Solar road markers are also versatile and can be used in a variety of applications, ranging from highways, rural roads, and even on private property, such as in parking lots or industrial parks. They can also be customised to meet specific needs, such as using different colours or flashing patterns for different types of roads or hazards.
Conclusion
Overall, using solar lights for signs is a reliable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective alternative to traditional lights. Solar road markers also have the potential to improve safety on roads and extend this safety to remote or rural areas. As they are a prime example of how solar technology can be used to improve our daily lives, continuous improvement in technology and a decrease in costs will hopefully result in the widespread use of solar-powered road markers.
There are lots of occasions where an environment clearly defines what type of solar light you would use. For example, in a carpark, commercial solar street lights would perform best and provide the most suitable amount of illumination, while on pedestrian pathways in residential environments, overhead lighting would be overkill and commercial solar bollards would be suitable
There are lighting projects though, where either commercial solar street lights or commercial solar lighting bollards would be suitable, so how do you decide which to use?The first thing you might assume is that solar powered street lights would be a more expensive option, so price would be a major factor in the decision, though this isn’t always the case. For example, if you have a 40 metre long pedestrian pathway, you could either install six commercial solar lighting bollards or two commercial solar street lights on 4 metre columns. Both options would provide an adequate amount of light at a very similar price point. So, if price isn’t a major factor is the decision-making process, then what other considerations are important?
1. Aesthetics – What product best suits the look of the surrounding environment?
Some people prefer the strong commercial look of solar street lights, though in areas such as public parks, the tall lighting columns will distract from the natural landscape, so solar bollard lights may be more suited.
2. Lighting Tone – Would you prefer warm or cool tones?
One major benefit to our commercial solar bollards range is the option to choose a warm, daylight or cool tone for the light. While any of our solar street lights will have a higher lumen output compared to our solar bollard lights, they will only output a cool white light, which isn’t always the preference for our clients.
There isn’t always a right or wrong option when choosing commercial solar lights; sometimes it’s simply down to the preference of the client. Above are just some simple considerations to consider when deciding between solar bollard lights or and solar street lights.
To learn more about our solar street lights or commercial solar bollards, or any other of the solar lights that we sell in Australia, visit the products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.
While there are obvious aesthetic and safety benefits to outdoor commercial solar lights, as well as economic benefits when compared to AC powered lighting alternatives, a readily overlooked benefit is one of home security. Significant study has gone into the effects of residential and street lighting on criminal behaviour, and results have shown that robbery is significantly reduced through increased ambient lighting around the home. “The assumed anonymity from darkness promotes moral transgressions; darkness also impairs vision and hence reduces the ability to detect an approaching robber and subsequently identify them” (Fotios, Robbins and Farrall, 2021). Due to this, solar lighting bollards and solar floodlights have the benefit of acting as solar security lights, deterring criminals from breaking into your property.
To learn more about solar bollard lights, solar floodlights, or any other of the solar lights that we sell in Australia, visit the products online or give us a call at 1300 76 52 65.