I’ve thought about using solar power for years. Every time I looked into it, though, I stopped at the same questions: How much would it cost, and how long would it take to get that money back?
Then we moved, and our first electricity bill gave me something more immediate to worry about. At our old place, even with the air conditioner running on warm days or when one of our pets was sick and we had to use it 24 hours, our highest bill was around ₱3,000. At our new home, it reached ₱5,000.
Still, an extra ₱2,000 was a shock for us, especially with our other living costs going up. I started paying closer attention to which lights we left on and where we might save a little.
That was how I found solar-powered outdoor lamps on an e-commerce site. I read the reviews, looked at a few other options, and bought two. I installed them outside our units so we could have light at night without switching on the building’s bulbs.
They’re made of plastic and look fairly basic. I wasn’t sure how bright they would be or whether they would last through the night. But when they lit up that first evening, I was ridiculously pleased. They worked. I caught myself thinking, #PwedePala.
I realize that outdoor lamps are a tiny step. Solar power is already being used on a much larger scale in the Philippines. The Department of Energy has reported on solar power projects here, while some households have installed systems on their roofs.
For years, that was the kind of solar setup I pictured: panels on the roof, a large upfront expense, and a calculation of how many years it would take to recover the cost. I hadn’t really considered that I could start with one small thing I needed.
My lamps have their own little panels and batteries. They collect energy during the day and use it to provide light at night.
And I don’t expect two lamps to make a noticeable difference to a ₱5,000 electricity bill. Had I discovered it earlier on, I would have added outdoor solar lamps in our previous home, which has a tiny yard. They’ve given us useful light outside, and they’ve changed how I think about trying solar power.
I’m still interested in what a rooftop system might cost and whether it would make sense for our home someday. For now, I’m happy that I started with something I could afford, installed it myself, and saw it work that same night.