Grid tied solar lighting

Grid tied solar lighting is a series of lights with solar panels (usually attached to the top of the pole) connected to the electricity grid, drawing off the grid at night when the lights are operating, and pumping electricity back into the grid during the day when the solar panels (usually on the top of the pole) are collecting UV from the sun.

A meter measures the amount of usage versus the amount returned to the grid. This amount is credited to the owner of the solar lights (the organisation who holds the electricity account). This is best suited for Rate 3 lighting where the asset is owned and maintained by the property owner such as a council, resort managers, university or TAFE, body corporate etc.

The electricity tariff and the feed back into the grid tariff are usually different, and usually geared towards rewarding the customer for putting power back into the grid. This is an incentive to use clean energy and it also may assist the power provider to save money in having to re invest in major power plants further down the track. These tariffs and rules vary from state to state, and change from time to time.

Both stand alone and grid tied have pros and cons. Grid tied is obviously more suited to lighting requirements in close proximity to existing electricity infrastructure or where trenching and cabling is easy.