DATA PARTNER INSIGHT #1
Delivering Reliable Off-Grid Illumination Through UK Winters: Solareye Bollard Light
Background
Solareye has long been known for the Solareye80 ground light – a trusted, low-energy solar delineator used widely across pathways, cycle routes, and public realm projects. However, as adoption grew, so did customer expectations. Increasingly, clients approached Solareye looking for a solar powered product that could deliver a higher level of illumination while still functioning completely off-grid.
These requests consistently raised the same challenge – how can greater brightness be delivered using only solar energy, while still guaranteeing reliable performance during the long, low-light winter months in the UK?
The Challenge
Before considering designing a new product, Solareye explored the global market for a suitable solar bollard that could complement the Solareye80. Samples were sourced from more than five international manufacturers and tested extensively.
However, the results were conclusive: none of the available products were capable of harvesting sufficient energy during short winter days to illuminate reliably throughout the full night. In the UK, the longest night – around the 21st of December – can reach roughly 16 hours of darkness depending on location. All off-the-shelf solutions fell short of this essential requirement.
Without a dependable option that met Solareye’s standards, distributing another manufacturer’s product was not viable.
The Solution
Recognising a clear gap in the market, Solareye decided to create a purpose-built solar bollard engineered specifically for UK conditions. Partnering with a UK-based design agency, the team developed a new bollard from the ground up – optimised for energy capture, storage efficiency, and dependable year-round operation.
The result was the Solareye Bollard Light – a fully self-contained, high-performance solar bollard designed to withstand the toughest seasonal lighting challenges.
Product Highlights
The Solareye Bollard Light is built around reliability, durability, and flexibility. Key features include:
- Consistent illumination through the longest UK winter nights – engineered to provide reliable lighting for approximately 16 hours of darkness around the winter solstice.
- Patented technology (Patent No. 2623818).
- CE accredited, meeting rigorous UK and European standards.
- IP68 waterproof rating – ideal for environments exposed to heavy rain, standing water, or flooding.
- IK10 impact rated – providing exceptional resilience for public realm and high-traffic installations.
Customisation & Flexibility
By manufacturing the product in-house, Solareye gained full control over customisation – an advantage that allows the bollard to be tailored to a wide variety of locations and user needs. Available options include:
- Directional choice – 180 degree or 360-degree illumination.
- Adaptive lighting – an integrated motion sensor enables an energy-saving idle mode with full brightness triggered when a user approaches.
- Colour temperature options – white or warm white (2,700K).
- Installation formats – supplied as planted or flat-mounted units.
The Numbers
A critical factor in achieving reliable year-round solar illumination is energy storage. Many typical solar bollards on the market use a lithium LiFePO₄ battery with a capacity of around 12Ah at 3.2V, which limits their ability to store sufficient charge during short or overcast winter days.
In contrast, the Solareye Bollard Light is equipped with a high-capacity lithium LiFePO₄ 20Ah battery at 3.2V. This increased capacity allows the bollard to store more energy during daylight hours, creating a reserve that compensates for consecutive overcast days and reduced solar gain in winter.
This increased energy reserve means that when fully charged, Solareye Bollard Light will illuminate for the following durations across a range of modes:
360-degree illumination
- 100% brightness – up to 62.5 hours
- 50% brightness – up to 125 hours
180-degree illumination
- 100% brightness – up to 125 hours
- 50% brightness – up to 250 hours
In practical use, it’s worth remembering that the bollard is not illuminated at 100% brightness continuously. An integrated motion sensor allows the light to operate at a reduced idle level when no path users are present, automatically increasing brightness only when movement is detected. This adaptive lighting approach significantly reduces energy consumption overnight, further extending run time and ensuring consistent illumination even during prolonged periods of low sunlight.
Combined with the increased battery capacity, this intelligent energy management is fundamental to the Solareye Bollard Light’s ability to perform reliably throughout the longest UK winter nights and in challenging weather conditions.
Outcome
The development of the Solareye Bollard Light represents a significant achievement in off-grid solar lighting. By investing in UK-led design and engineering, Solareye created a product that solved a long-standing industry challenge – delivering high quality, reliable solar illumination that performs even during the darkest UK winter conditions.
The bollard is now used in pathways, parks, residential developments, holiday parks and public spaces where trenching for power is impractical or undesirable. Its success demonstrates how customer feedback, rigorous testing, and innovation can combine to generate a product that genuinely moves the industry forward.
Learn more about Solareye Bollard Light by visiting: website, emailing: info@solar-eye.com or calling: 01275 405 333
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