How to Use Solar Energy for Your Garden
There isn’t a better way of turning sunlight into electricity than through your garden. After all, plants are a lot like solar panels. They capture sunlight and convert it into energy.
There is a lot of beauty in using the sun to power a garden. Photovoltaic technology has been evolving and today, it is more versatile and sophisticated than it’s ever been. It can be used in almost all garden applications. Here are a few ways to take advantage of solar energy in your garden.
1. Powering Your Gardening Tools
Every garden needs a few tools and some of them may use electricity. They include trimmers and lawnmowers. With a single well-positioned solar panel, you can do a lot of work. The best thing about it is that your panel doesn’t need professional installation.
With one 80-W panel, you can get enough electricity to power your garden lights, fountains, and pumps. These panels work just like solar lights. They soak in solar energy and convert it into electricity to power various tools.
2. Fountains and Ponds
Solar-powered ponds and fountains are perfect. They add to the appeal of your backyard and may be the main attraction of your garden. Regular fountains are connected to electrical cords which can be safety hazards. With solar power, however, the risk is mitigated. You are unlikely to get into power-related accidents.
The variety of solar-powered pumps is huge. You can always find something that swirls water for decorative purposes. Setting your fountain up is a simple and straightforward process. You get to set the pattern in which water sprays.
Floating water pumps are perfect for birdbaths. Submerged pumps allow you to create fish ponds or water fountains. The soothing sounds of water and birds are the cherry on top of a great garden.
3. Lighting
Outdoor solar lights are great for improving the general appearance of your garden. While most people love garden lighting, traditional options can be expensive. According to professionals from Artisan Electric, Inc, solar lights are some of the cheapest options. Your lights collect solar energy during the day and convert it to light at night. The LED lights don’t use too much power. Therefore, a few hours of sunlight are enough to light up the garden all night.
Use solar lights to accentuate the focal points of your garden and illuminate pathways. There is a wide variety of solar lights and you can choose whatever matches your style needs. Some lights go on the ground and others are hung above your fence or garden. The colors and sizes vary as well.
Read More: Choosing Solar Lights For Garden
4. Solar Irrigation
Solar irrigation is one of the most sensible inventions in the gardening world. If you have a large garden, keeping track of its watering needs can be a challenge. Water pumps are demanding and you need to power them manually. If you aren’t careful, you may overwater or underwater your garden.
Automatic, solar-powered irrigation is convenient and effective. When it is sunny, your plants need more water. Using sunshine for irrigation is sheer genius.
The idea is simple and straightforward. Once you have your solar panel set up, kick-start a pump in your water tank. It will deliver water directly to your plants. Irrigation will continue for a few hours. It stops when the charged battery is exhausted. The battery charges through sunlight again and the process repeats itself. Even though adjusting the settings will take a while, things get easier over time.
Solar-powered sprinklers are eco-friendly, user-friendly, and reliable. They help you cover the boring part of gardening.
Read More: Using Solar Energy
5. Solar Greenhouses
One of the latest inventions in the solar power world is solar glazing. Fine photovoltaic cell films are embedded in glass. This makes it possible to collect power through windows. By glazing a solar greenhouse, you can generate enough energy to power it. Even though this option is costly, it can help generate a lot of power.
6. Solar-Powered Mower Robots
Gardening can be very labor-intensive. Tasks like mowing take a lot of time. They can take the fun out of the gardening process. With a solar-powered mower robot, your garden will be mowed at your convenience. All you need to do is turn it on and it will mow the grass on your behalf. You end up with a neat garden without having to do much.
7. Solar-Powered Sheds
Solar-powered sheds will take your gardening to the next level. If you want to turn your shed into a little piece of heaven, solar panels are your best friend. After all, electricity is one of your biggest costs. Saving on it means saving in general.
The bigger your needs, the higher your energy demand, and the more you need solar panels. In the past, the most efficient way of powering a shed was with underground cables. However solar systems are more affordable. They are also convenient when your shed is far from the house.
Are Solar Panels In the Garden a Good Decision?
Installing solar panels in your garden is not only possible but also recommended. After all, the garden is one of the most exposed parts of your property. It receives a lot of sunlight and you may be able to reap lots of benefits from it.
With the help of voltaic wonders, you can save a lot of money on energy bills. Solar panels lower your energy consumption. They are great for lighting up the garden, irrigation, powering your garden tools, and powering water features. If you don’t want panels on your roof, you can benefit from backyard solar panels.
If there is a lot of space in your garden, find an open area and position the panels strategically to ensure that they are receiving as much sunlight as possible. There is no need to worry about roof installation.
Owning a garden is great. Gardens are not only beautiful but also good for your health. They promote relaxation and physical activity. Dealing with plants promotes a sense of wellness. It may be a great way of introducing some wildlife to your space. However, it is not all roses and chirping birds.
Maintaining a garden takes a lot of work and power. Consider using solar panels to save time and money. Options like solar-powered lights, irrigation, and gardening tools make gardening easy for you. Using renewable energy is also good for the environment.
- Compact and Reliable - The 100W 12V Monocrystalline solar panel delivers a stable output of an average 500Wh of electricity per day (depending on sun availability). With its compact solar cell arrangement, this renogy 100w solar panel weighs only 14.1 lbs and is 8-10% lighter and smaller than conventional rigid solar panels.
- Superior Quality and Material - All Renogy solar panels are made from 100% EL-tested Grade A+ solar cells to provide the highest power conversion efficiency and prolonged lifespan. This 100 watt solar panel is also equipped with PERC cells to deliver an excellent cell efficiency of 22%.
- Advanced Solar Cell Tech and Panel Structure - Renogy solar panels adapted the newest 9 Bus-bars cell tech and Half-cell structure, allowing the full-size solar cell to be cut in half and closely arranged for space usage maximization. Increase the cell receiving surface while reducing current and resistance loss with a thinner ribbon design.
- Built to Last - This all-weather monocrystalline solar panel can handle snow, rain, and heat for decades with IP65 protection. Renogy uses low iron-tempered glass and corrosion-resistant aluminum frames with polyamide corner support to ensure this panel solar can perform and withstand all weather conditions.
- Fast and Easy Installation - 20 pre-drilled holes on the back of the solar panels 100w allow for quick mounting, which is ideal for off-grid applications and are directly compatible with Renogy ground mounts, Z Brackets, Corner Brackets, Pole Mounts, and Tilt Mounts. 5-Year Warranty - This solar panel has an exceptional 5-year material and workmanship warranty and a 25-year 80% output warranty.
- [Bifacial Design] Charge your portable power station faster with this two in one solar panel. With a 220W front side and a 155W rear side for ambient light, you can gain an extra 5-25% solar energy, depending on the type of surface you put it on.
- [Extremely Portable] The EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Solar panel is foldable, compact and weighs just 9.5kg (20.9lbs). Easy to pick up and carry with you, it’s perfect for charging where mains power is unavailable.
- [Weather Proof] The EcoFlow 220W Bifacial Solar Panel is built to withstand mother nature. It has a thin, one-piece tempered glass design making it 5x more durable than comparable solar panels. It comes complete with an IP68 Waterproof rating meaning its both water and dust resistant.
- [Optimal Efficiency] When used with an EcoFlow power station, the 220W Bifacial Solar Panel is geared to produce maximum efficiency. The solar panel has a high energy conversion rate of 22%-23% too.
- [Adjustable Kickstand Case] The EcoFlow Bifacial Solar Panel comes with an adjustable kickstand case. This protects the solar panel on the move while doubling up into an adjustable kickstand. It also allows you to position the solar panel for optimal sunlight intake and lets you chain several solar panels together.
