Solar outdoor lighting is still a new and fresh technology in today’s market. Many companies are developing new innovative technology to break into this new market. However, as a consumer, it is important to be weary during this time. Because this is still a new technology, cheaper solar lights tend to be lower quality and become nonoperational quickly. In addition to people feeling regret from buying cheaper solar lights, sometimes solar lights from inexperienced companies can also lead to disaster. Not all solar lights are created equal, and this is evident in a recent project SOLTECH completed Philips Medical Center in Costa Rica.
THE GREEN AND FAST DEVELOPING COUNTRY OF COSTA RICA
Costa Rica is no stranger to renewable energy. According to data from the National Center for Energy Control (CENCE), the Central American country has maintained the trend of keeping the annual share of the renewable generation above 98% since 2015. In addition, the country ran for 250 days fossil fuel free in 2016.
People have many misconceptions about Costa Rica. For instance, many people believe that Costa Rica is reliant on its tourist industry like other island nations. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Since Costa Rica ratified the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) with the United States in 2009, many industries in Costa Rica has seen rapid expansion. This free trade agreement eliminated most of the tariffs for non-agricultural imports and has made both trade and investment in the region more appealing to U.S. companies. As a result of the success of the free trade agreement, the remaining tariffs on U.S. agricultural products will virtually all be eliminated by 2020. CAFTA-DR member countries have further promised increased transparency in customs dealings, anti-corruption measures in government contracting and procurement, and strong legal protections for U.S. investors. The United States is Costa Rica’s largest trade and investment partner. Approximately 53% of all Foreign Direct Investment and 40% of all imports are of U.S. origin.
SOLTECH HELPS REPLACE FORMER LOW-QUALITY SOLAR FIXTURES
Philips Medical reached out to the local distributor, Project Master, to replace 45 solar fixtures they had recently two years prior. According to the customer, the fixtures were plagued with a myriad of different problems.
- Many of the fixtures had poor performance with poor illumination
- Some lights would malfunction and not turn on during the night
- The battery died in the fixtures after 2 years of use, meaning all the fixtures needed to be replaced
When the Philips Medical Center first bought these lights, they thought they were saving money by going with this solar solution. However, because the batteries died in some of the fixtures after only two years of use, they had to spend an extra $105,750 dollars to replace these fixtures. Here’s a breakdown below.
- Around $2000 for each fixture
- $250 for each new pole
- And $100 to install each new fixture
THE SUPERIOR SUNLIKE
Certainly, after this experience, Philips Medical Center knew better than to repeat the same mistakes. That is to say, for the next solar lighting solution they knew they needed a company that was reliable, experienced, and had high-quality fixtures. That’s when the Philips Medical Center inquired about our SUNLIKE 20W.
In the same industrial park as the Philips Medical Center, SOLTECH had already completed many projects. This includes parking lot 5 and 6 in the Coyol Free Zone and Cooper Surgical. In addition, SOLTECH also has worked with the Kimberly-Clark Factory in another industrial park. After seeing the superior performance of SOLTECH’s products, it was an easy decision for Philips Medical to choose the SUNLIKE to replace their malfunctioning, low-quality fixtures.
SOLTECH, in coordination with Project Master, installed 45 SUNLIKE 20Ws in the Philips Medical Center parking lot to replace the previous low-quality fixtures. In contrast to the previous fixtures, the SUNLIKE 20W is not only cheaper than the $2000 fixtures, but is also more reliable and high quality.
Installation of SOLTECH’s SUNLIKE 20W at Philips Medical Center
SOLTECH’s SUNLIKE 20W at Philips Medical Center
Below are some of the advantages of SOLTECH’s SUNLIKE 20W.
- 4000-lumen output
- Cheaper than the competition
- 5-year warranty on the fixture
- Grade A LifePO4 Battery Pack, 2000+ full charging cycles
- Field-replaceable battery functionality via quick connections
- Can run for 7 days with only one day of sun
CONCLUSION
This project demonstrates why is it so important to do research before buying any new solar fixtures. The Philips Medical Center lost a lot of money by not choosing a fixture that was of higher quality. However, now that the medical center has the superior SUNIKE with SOLTECH’s generous warranty, the center is satisfied with its fixtures and feels more secure about their purchase. SOLTECH is committed to helping companies feel more secure when becoming greener.