Have A Green Christmas With Solar Christmas Lights
Some people hope for a white Christmas, but for the eco-conscious consumer, the holidays should be as green as possible. One way to promote renewable energy sources is to decorate with solar Christmas lights. These lights don’t plug into a traditional electrical outlet. Instead, they are attached to a solar collection panel that collects sunlight during the day. The power is stored in a rechargeable battery which keeps the lights burning until the stored power is consumed. The battery charges again when exposed to sunlight.
Until recently, LED (light emitting diode) lights have been prohibitively expensive. Technology has advanced to make LED lights much more affordable and practical for the average consumer. LED lights are far more efficient than incandescent lights, using nearly 8 times less power. This is what enables them to be powered by a solar panel, which cannot deliver as much power as a wall outlet.
Solar Christmas lights include a sensor in the collection panel that turns the lights on in the absence of sunlight. The sensors are fairly accurate and won’t turn on the lights on a cloudy day; however, they do collect the most energy in bright sun. Filtered sunlight (through a window or skylight) will reduce the amount of power collected, but you can be creative with panel placement as the sun moves throughout the day. A dedicated green consumer should have no problem finding the most effective location for the panel. After all, solar lights reduce the demand for electricity, and the pollution produced by power plants.
In addition to being an environmentally responsible choice, solar lights also offer the benefit of burning cooler than traditional lights. They can safely be placed near paper or other dry decorations, including dry Christmas tree needles. Converting to solar Christmas lights can also help you save money on electric bills. For those who love to decorate with hundreds of lights, the savings can be considerable. They also make great gifts for eco-minded friends.
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