Solar Lights

Solar Lights operate with solar cells just like you see on rooftops, only the modules are much smaller. The waterproof batteries collect and store the energy during the day and power the lights all night. Whatever lights you choose, (from street lamps to porch lights to string lights to security lights, etc.), they have to be placed in an area with direct sunlight for them to work the best. Solar security lights will not do much good if the connecting cells are under a shaded roof edge and aren't getting any sunlight. The same goes for garden and pathway lamps placed under tree shade, so scout the location for your lights carefully.

An advantage to these is you can place the panels higher up elsewhere and have the wires leading to the lights. If you find the shade covers your panels after you placed it, they are small, and light enough to move them around without needing to call a professional every time.

Some have cells for daylight and sunlight, meaning their sensitivity is higher to collect energy even on cloudy days. This is good for regions like Seattle and England where the cloud coverage is most of the year. There's fancier and more expensive types that have panels with programmable paths that track the sunlight as it moves.

There's other ways to light your home using the sun like heliostats (mirror arrays) that don't require solar cells or batteries. There are also tubular skylights that bounce light from an opening in your roof through a reflecting tube into any room in your house.

Other Resources From Friends of The Geek:

"Ever thought about using solar lighting outdoors? Solar Landscape Lights are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to brighten up your outdoor living space."

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