Solar technology is advancing on a seemingly daily basis. With more powerful solar cells, indoor growers have found better ways to use grow lights efficiently. Solar cells can now generate enough power to run all types of cultivator gear, including grow lights.
Growing plants indoors is a pastime many people enjoy. When growing crops inside, growers must mimic the natural environment the outdoors provides. One of the biggest requirements of growing healthy crops is light.
Sunlight provides energy to plants via light radiation. When the plant absorbs the light, it gains the energy it needs to convert carbon dioxide into sugars. Plants use sugar to grow.
In the past, growers were limited in the plants they could grow inside, because of a lack of light options.
Today, indoor gardening is growing in popularity, and there are light products that can facilitate growth just like outdoor growing conditions.
For many indoor horticulturists, electricity demands from powerful grow lights have presented a problem in the past. Growers faced astronomical electricity costs, even with small indoor setups.
Advances in solar technology now beg answers to the question, “Will solar power run an indoor grow light?”.
The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Understanding how solar energy can power indoor grow lights will help cultivators save money on the costs of running their light systems.
Solar Grow Lights Mimic Sun
Indoor growers use an abundance of energy to grow their crops. Even small-scale grow rooms can draw massive amounts of electricity each day.
Cultivators must mimic natural sun schedules if they want their crops to grow healthy and strong.
This means running grow lights for around twelve hours every day. It does not take a rocket scientist to understand how quickly this creates exorbitant costs in electric bills.
With a small-scale grow operation, cultivators can almost exclusively rely on solar panels to run their lights. Bigger grow rooms could see improvements in electricity costs by as much as 25-30%, depending on their setup.
Solar Grow Lights Reduce Costs
Just as with electric power, solar energy can power just about any electrical device, including grow lights. The major limitation for hobby indoor gardeners regarding solar technology has always been the cost.
Grow lights that are powered entirely by the renewable energy of the sun create a financial hurdle some indoor growers cannot get over.
Though solar power equipment is becoming more affordable, it is still an intimidating investment to make, especially for large-scale growers.
Although purchasing solar power equipment is a big investment, many indoor growers will find it well worth the cost.
It is important growers understand how to calculate their electricity needs, so they can determine if solar power will be a sound investment for their setup.
Calculating Your Power Usage
Essentially, a standard 4X4 grow tent is going to require around 12,200 watts of power a day for twelve hours of light. (This is based on the use of a single 600-watt bulb.)
This equates to just over 200 kWh per month for lighting.
Keep in mind, this approximate cost is for a very basic setup. The demands are increased with each light setup or bulb.
To calculate your grow room light power needs, it is important to follow this simple formula.
Number of bulbs X Wattage = Total Wattage (For every 1,000 Watts, you get 1kW.)
12 hours of use X 30 days in the month=360 hours of usage
kW total X 360 hours of use per month=Total kW energy consumption
A significant portion of a grower’s electricity cost is based on energy consumption in kW.
Electricity rates vary according to the state and average around $0.12 per kW. In the state of California, rates go up as high as $0.24. The rates will vary significantly among different countries.
Solar Energy Considerations
There are some things growers should consider before rushing out to purchase a solar panel.
Growers should weigh carefully these considerations, to ensure they are fully prepared for making the best solar equipment purchase.
Light Sources
Considering the best light source to use for indoor growing is essential, especially when growers are contemplating using solar-powered lights.
The following offers a brief list of the most popular light sources indoor cultivators use.
Fluorescent
Fluorescent lighting is a popular choice for indoor growers. Newer lighting setups offer a broader light spectrum, which is ideal for general-purpose growers. They are safe, produce less heat, and are budget-friendly.
High-Intensity Discharge
A high-intensity discharge (HID) light is a gas-discharge light. Common types include high-pressure sodium, metal, and mercury vapor.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
Growers who want to save on electricity costs often choose LED grow lights.
Although they are more expensive than some other types of lights, they save growers in the long run because they run with less energy expenditure.
In the past, indoor growers have shied away from LED lights because they were new and some did not understand how they performed.
Many growers now use these lights because they produce less heat and can be programmed to come on and shut off at specific times.
Solar energy will power any of the above lights. To ensure the solar cells provide consistent power, many indoor cultivators use them with LED lights.
How to Maintain Solar Grow Lights?
Maintenance is a consideration but is not a crucial factor. Indoor growers will need to realize the cost of replacement.
The good news is, solar panels typically last for around twenty-five years, making them a substantial investment.
The panels themselves require very little maintenance. Occasionally, they need a light cleaning to remove dirt, leaves, and debris that could prevent the solar cells from absorbing energy from the sun.
Checking the panels once a month for cleaning issues should be sufficient.
Incentives
Countries all over the world are encouraging citizens to take action and reduce their carbon footprints. Renewable energy is a constant source of news.
Many countries are offering substantial incentives to encourage individuals to have solar panels installed.
In the United States, at the time of this writing, there is a limited time 26% federal tax credit available that can apply to the cost of installation.
Advancements In Technology
One other last consideration is the ever-changing advancements in solar power technology.
Growers should research the latest technology, including work that is being done to convert solar power green wavelengths to red, using red dye.
Since red light optimizes plant production, this advancement could change the way indoor growers view solar energy.
How Does Solar Lighting Work?
Since its invention in 1954, photovoltaic technology has transformed tremendously. Finally, solar energy has become a more viable solution for overcoming the rising environmental crisis of pollution.
The principles behind how solar energy works are fairly straightforward. Photovoltaics involves the conversion of sunlight into electricity. Some materials possess photoelectric properties.
This causes these materials to absorb photons of light and then release electrons. When the electrons are captured, they generate an electric current.
A photovoltaic cell or solar panel collects solar energy throughout the day, as long as the sun is shining.
The collected energy is stored in a gel cell battery that is rechargeable. The stored energy can then power grow lights.
What Are the Advantages of Solar Grow Lights?
Growers who are considering installing solar panels to run them grow lights need to know about the distinct advantages this renewable energy source offers.
- Solar energy is good for the environment. If every grower used solar energy for their lights, the pending exhaustion of the world’s natural resources could be slowed dramatically.
- It is also highly cost-effective. Yes, there is a greater expense at first, but solar panels end up paying for themselves in a short amount of time.
- Solar energy is limitless and never-ending. This renewable energy source will always be there to power your grow lights.
- As mentioned above, solar-powered devices require very little maintenance. If you have solar panels, they simply need to be lightly cleaned occasionally.
- There is also a wide array of solar light styles available, to appeal to the needs of all indoor growers.
Power an Indoor Grow Room with Solar Power
Many growers are now choosing solar power because they do not want the astronomical costs of electricity. While these systems are pricey, they can operate grow lights with virtually no costs.
The good news regarding solar power is, you can generate enough power for all your growing equipment, including fans and ventilation systems. Most 16 square foot growers will do well with a 3.5-kW system.
It is always better to have more power than you need than not enough. Indoor growers should also remember some days are going to be cloudy.
These days, it is important to have a power backup. Growers can switch over to electric power or use a generator to power their lights.
Types of Solar Power Systems
There are two general types of solar power systems, off-grid and grid-tied. When installing a solar panel system, this is one of the first decisions an indoor grower will need to make.
A grid-tied system means the solar panels are directly tied in with the conventional power grid that services the home or building.
When energy is absorbed by the sun and not used immediately, it automatically transfers to the conventional power grid and will earn growers credits on their electric bills.
Off-grid solar power systems, as the name suggests, are not tied in with any power grid. This system requires 100% power from the sun. Any unused power is stored in a battery bank until it is needed.
Most growers, especially those with smaller setups, are going to be interested in the grid-tied solar power systems.
With a grid-tied system, growers will have a source of electricity, even during periods of cloudiness, when the sun’s energy cannot be absorbed by the cells.
Installing Solar Grow Lights
Solar grow lights are fairly easy to install, depending on the type. Growers will need to purchase a solar panel to collect energy.
The panel will need to be installed outdoors. Some growers rely on professionals for this part of the installation, so the new solar panel system can be installed correctly.
To install the lights, you are going to need a way to hang them above your plants. You will also need a way to move the lights up and down, depending on the plants’ light needs and growth levels.
Many growers hang their lights with a chain or pulley system. Both offer inexpensive options for installation.
It is wise to hook up the solar grow light system to a timer. This will control the light cycles, ensuring your crops are getting enough light, but not too much.
Besides the solar panel and light, growers will also need a deep cycle battery to store energy until it is needed and to prevent damage to their lights due to too much discharge. A power inverter is also necessary for converting DC to AC.
Final Thoughts
As solar power technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how it offers increasingly more benefits for indoor cultivators.
The more advances that are made, the more this technology becomes available and the more affordable it becomes.
When choosing to power your grow lights with solar energy, you have a few choices to make.
There is a large initial investment involved, but the right setup will save growers exponentially on their electricity costs.
You must plan carefully when choosing a setup. When it comes to ease of operation and energy savings, LED lights are one of the best options available.
Growing plants indoors can be exciting and even lucrative for growers. Unfortunately, electricity makes indoor growing more expensive than it has to be. With solar energy providing power to your grow lights, the cost of operation will be much lower.
Consider using renewable solar energy today. With so many benefits, it is no wonder growers are embracing this energy source for their indoor grow light needs.
