A small microprocessor enables the panel to act as a photocell, turning the light on at dusk and off at dawn. It also regulates battery charging.

As self-contained units, solar outdoor lights are very dependable. During Hurricane Andrew in Dade County, Florida, solar street lights withstood 165 mph winds and continued to perform flawlessly while surrounding grid-connected lights were out for two weeks.

Solar street lights require minimal maintenance, trenching and road repairs - as well as no wiring, metering or electric bills. 

When all of these cost savings are factored into the lighting decision, choosing non-polluting solar street lights is often a sound purchasing decision.

Recently the Bermuda Land Development Corporation (BLDC) has erected a demo solar outdoor light. It is positioned at the entrance to Fergusson Park, an assisted living facility for the elderly located at Southside. 

When BLDC was contemplating using solar lighting, they contacted Greenrock for input on suggested vendors who sell this product.

The manufacturer of BLDC's test light is SEPCO (Solar Electric Power Company) in Stuart, Florida. At present there is only one light installed, and it has been operating for several months on a trial basis. It is expected that an additional two to five lights will be ordered in the near future. 

Ideally, Greenrock would like to see all institutional and commercial developments consider this alternative for outdoor light. And when it comes to development projects that are fully or partially paid for by public funds, solar outdoor lighting should be mandatory for the reasons outlined here.