You may be thinking … how much does a street light cost? Many of us are afraid of the price of maintenance and operation, which is why we would like to buy solar street lights. As street lights are used in different places, such as highways, parking lots, tunnel, driveway etc., the average cost of a 60W street light is between $60-120.
Cost of street lights vs solar street lights
Over the past 10 years, the popularity of solar streetlights has increased due to rising energy costs and the emergence of green technology. As a result of the shift to more renewable energy lighting, the question has been raised as to how much solar street lights cost compared to traditional street lights. The cost analysis for each lighting system is provided by our experts. Street light costs can be surprising, but we disclose all the information in this review.
| For a 250 x 250 ft parking lot | Conventional street lights cost | Solar street lights cost |
| Light itself | $1000 to $1500 | $2500 to $3500 |
| Installation cost | $1400 to $1800 | $2000 to $2500 |
| Light pole | $2000 | $2000 |
| Electricity cost | $250 per year | $0 running cost per year |
The term “traditional street lighting” refers to any electric lamp used for street lighting that uses metal halide or high-pressure sodium technology. The lighting equipment, pole and base is the most expensive part of a lamp. That isn’t bad for the cost of a street light.
Cost of solar street lights
Solar street lights use lamps that are connected to solar panels to convert light into power. These lights are located away from the main power grid and can be put to use in remote areas. The average cost of a 150W solar light is $100 to $200 per light.
The lamps, solar panels, controllers, poles and small parts of the lamps are included. The cost of street lights is higher due to the advanced technology used. People tend to forget the bigger cost of the electrical infrastructure when they pay upfront for traditional streetlights.
Why are street lights expensive?
Street lights are more expensive because of a number of factors. The material issue is the first thing that comes to mind. Light poles and bulbs are different from normal materials.
The procedure is one of the reasons they are more expensive. An excavator is needed to dig up the surface of the street light installation.
The labor costs add up if the task is done manually. It’s a very complex job that requires a lot of expensive tools. The labor cost increases because of the complexity of the task. This is not a one-person job and it does not require a lot of specialization. The price of street lighting goes up when there is more than one person.
Who is responsible for the street light cost?
Who is responsible for the installation and replacement of street lights is a question you might want to ask. Authorities can be different from region to region. The streetlights are maintained by the city or county. People need to report broken streetlights to the authorities.
The management of the streetlights can be done by the electric company. The people who live in the area are usually charged a fee for street lights.
There are streetlights in front of some homes. The homeowner will usually pay for the electricity for the street lights if it’s possible. The party that pays for street lights in the area may be different. Someone who damages a street light may have to pay for it.
Installation cost of conventional LED street lights
Most people don’t know how much does a street light costs. Depending on the type of lighting, the cost of installing street lights can vary.
If you want to install a 60 watt equivalent street light, you’ll need to spend at least $60. The cost of a standard streetlight pole is between $1,500 and $2,500 and the cost of an electrician to put the streetlight up is between $800 and $1,200.
Depending on the style, the final cost of a street light can be as high as $9,000. The cost of the street light will go up if the project is on a bridge.
The installation price of road lights is high, as it can be very expensive to acquire a lifting platform and other necessary equipment. Also, the entire installation process can take a lot of time.
Installation cost of solar street lights
The cost of solar street lights may be a barrier for some. The costs associated with building the electrical infrastructure for traditional lighting are the biggest difference between the two. Traditional lighting requires trenching and underground wiring to get power from the grid.
Consumers can expect to pay about $50 per linear foot for this process. The cost of digging a trench and connecting conventional lighting is much higher than the cost of solar street lights. Consumers do not need to spend a lot of money on trenching and wiring because solar streetlights are off the main grid. The total cost of solar is pulled down by the price of the lighting system.
Running cost of traditional street lamps
Let’s do a quick calculation of the cost of a conventional street light. For example, for a 2km two-lane road with a 40m light pole distance. We will need about 100 100W street lights to illuminate the road. Therefore, the cost of running these street lights is 100 x 100W = 10,000W x 12 hours x $0.1/1000 = $12/day. If we turn on the street lights for 12 hours per day on a 2 km long road or highway.
The cost of running streetlights varies with different conditions, such as the length of the road, tunnel or highway, and the density of streetlights (the distance between them). It is difficult for us to have a single value to illustrate the overall operating cost.
Electricity cost of solar street lights
Since solar lights collect energy from the sun, there is no energy cost. The energy cost of a street light is the same as the energy cost of a standard light for six years. A system of ten lights would take a long time to pay off. People who want to buy street lights prefer lower energy costs. The solar category is the winner.
Maintenance cost of conventional street lights
The maintenance cost of street lights may be affected by factors such as materials, time, labor, and traffic diversions.
The cost of street light replacement is dependent on a number of factors. A street light on a pole may need to be replaced. The time it takes to set up the legs of the boom truck and the extension of the boom to the light fixture is included in this.
An electrician can be found in the city at a salary of $50/hour plus $25/hour benefits and a trainees can be found at a salary of $35/hour. The cost of street lighting for a boom truck is $45 per hour, most of which is due to the additional service and maintenance required for the booms.
$50 million is spent every year in the city of Los Angeles to keep the lights on. The lights need $200 to continue working. Maintenance costs can be different depending on the type of street light used. The lowest maintenance costs can be found in LEDs compared to other options.
Maintaining street lights is important to keep the roads open and safe. Tracking bulb life is just one component that needs to be monitored. There is a maintenance program that can be incorporated to extend the life of your lights.
How long does LED street light last?
The life span of street lights can be vastly different. The range is tens of thousands of hours. The range for these hours is from 25 years to 45 years. It is too optimistic to think of a life of 25 years.
There is good reason why the market is showing interest in LEDs. A cost-saving alternative to traditional halogen, metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps is the use of LEDs. The total lifecycle cost, including installation, maintenance and energy, is considered to be the best economic return.
Maintenance of solar lights
Solar lights are most effective when combined with a light source that uses light emitting diodes. You may think that solar lights require more maintenance than traditional lights. Solar lights do not require the same maintenance as traditional lighting systems.
The lifespan of a traditional street light is 7,000 to 10,000 hours, or less than a year of use, while the lifespan of a solar light is 10 to 15 years. The secret lies in the technology of LEDs, which use electricity more efficiently than traditional lighting methods and degrade slowly over time.
When it comes to solar lights, the cost of each repair is higher. The batteries in solar lights need to be replaced frequently. 2 batteries and labor cost close to 15,000. the cost of a standard light is over a thousand dollars for a standard repair.
Solar or non-solar street lights?
You may have heard that people are replacing traditional street lights with solar street lights. Why do you think this is the case? There is a need for urban areas to adapt to this change. It is possible that this is the case.
When it comes to saving energy, solar lights are more effective than traditional lights. If you compare solar street lights with conventional lights, you will be surprised. In the long run, a solar light will save you a lot of money. This is just the one light we are talking about.
One street light is what no one installs. Imagine how much money you will save by installing hundreds of solar lights. The cost of installing solar street lights is one reason they are not widely accepted.
These lights are more expensive because of their advanced technology. Some energy efficient options are not popular. Once everyone agrees to this innovation, it will be a step ahead in terms of energy savings. In the long run, they will save a lot, even though they seem expensive at first.
Constituents of street lighting cost
The cost of electricity for regular lighting, maintenance of bulbs and poles, labor costs during repairs, and wear and tear from accidents are some of the costs of street lighting. The town or city is usually responsible for the cost of street light replacements. If the original street light is damaged in an accident, drivers may be charged for accidental damage.
It is possible that you will be surprised at who pays for the street lights. The cost of street lights can be a responsibility of the local government. The local power company maintains the street light costs and charges regular electricity rates for maintaining and repairing the damaged poles.
How much does a street light pole cost?
The cost of a street light pole can be affected by a number of things. The labor cost of installation is one of the factors that affects the price of a street light pole, but it’s not the only one. The labor cost of installation is not included in this calculation. The average labor cost to install a street light pole is $800 in most cities. Streetlight poles can be more expensive than consumer poles due to being more complex to install. The cost of street light poles can be affected by a number of factors.
Factors affecting the street light cost
Labor cost
The cost of labor is a variable cost that is always changing. It depends on the time of day, the economy and the region. Different service providers can charge different fees. The fee isn’t fixed, so it could be different from the cost amount.
Labor costs can be affected by the type of service that is required. Replacing a light bulb is less expensive than installing a new street light. New poles, bulbs, and advanced equipment are required in the latter.
The foundation of street light pole
A typical streetlight foundation is a 4- to 8-foot-tall, 2.5-foot-diameter cylinder that you can build yourself and put in a hole, drill into it with a drill bit, backfill, and affix the pole. If you have a utility conflict, you will need an extended foundation. This will cause your costs to go up.
Spec (e.g. wind resistance)
The poles have to be thick and sturdy enough to resist high winds. It is possible that others in central USA may be designed for wind speeds of 90 mph. The thicker the pole, the higher the costs.
Pole and other accessories
Installation or replacement of a street light can cost a lot of money due to heavy equipment and manpower. The cost will be less if the street light only needs to be changed.
Area
The area you live in is one of the most obvious reasons. The price range for each region is different. Installation costs and labor costs will vary from place to place. The price of a light bulb varies by location.
Distance between the street light poles
There’s a standard distance between light poles. The best lighting solution is what the recommendations are based on. A lot of areas don’t use a standard. 35 meters is the best distance for it to be. The height of the light pole is what determines this measurement.
The height of the light pole is used to calculate the measurement, which is usually marked three times. More even lighting is possible because of the precise spacing.
In a lot of places, the spacing between lights isn’t perfect. Some light poles are 60 meters apart, while other light poles are 30 meters apart. The architecture of the street is a factor in the spacing. There may be limited reason to light the area if there aren’t any homes or businesses.
Smart solar street light
What is the difference between a smart solar street light and a regular street light? Software and hardware solutions for remote management and control of solar streetlights have been developed in the last few years. Solar street light networks are too expensive to maintain. Imagine there are 500 solar streetlights on your property. Since each unit has so many components, it can be assumed that some of them will eventually break down.
So, why smart solar street lights are cheaper than traditional street lights. It’s very easy to figure out the math. The cost of installing a traditional street light in a new location with no electricity supply will be about $3,000. It would cost about $2,000 to install a smart solar street light.
There is no energy bill and the energy is free. Since solar street lights are energy independent and not connected to the grid, there is no need for a lot of expensive construction work.
It is clear from the numbers that we have reached a tipping point where smart solar streetlights are cheaper than traditional streetlights. We are looking forward to seeing what other smart solar streetlight solutions come out of this new wave.
Conclusion
It is extremely important that streetlights are on. Without them, it is impossible to think of life. If the streets are lit, we can venture out after dark. Most people have no idea how much a cost effective street light costs. This article will give you a closer look at what you should know about the cost of street lights. Knowing the truth before it’s too late can increase the success of your project.
Different types of streetlights are used to illuminate different parts of the city. High pressure sodium, metal halide, fluorescent and halogen are some of the most common types of street lights. Installing street lights will ensure that no accidents occur. You can ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians.
