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What are some common beliefs about PV lighting systems?
In 2005, NLPIP administered a survey to assess common beliefs among the public about photovoltaic (PV) lighting systems. The survey was sent via email to all subscribers of NLPIP Online. A total of 442 subscribers responded to the survey. These respondents felt that light-emitting diodes (LEDs) were the most suitable light sources for PV lighting applications, followed by fluorescent lamps. Incandescent lamps were not considered to be suitable for use in a PV lighting system. Respondents also selected three potential advantages of PV lighting systems: energy savings, environmental sustainability, and off-grid power generation. When asked if PV lighting systems could meet most outdoor lighting needs, the majority of survey participants responded neutrally, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the statement. These results are shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Survey responses: beliefs about PV lighting systems |

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When asked to predict when PV lighting systems would be commonly used in various applications, survey respondents predicted that commonplace use is still a number of years away. They generally believed that PV lighting systems would first be commonly employed in applications such as pathway lighting, bollards, and decorative post-top luminaires, which generally use small, low-mounted luminaires, require low light levels, and use light sources with low power requirements. The use of PV lighting systems in applications such as parking lots and roadway lighting will be significantly farther into the future. Generally, survey respondents indicated that applications that use higher poles and greater illuminances (and therefore require more power) are less likely to be suitable for PV systems in the near term. These results are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Survey responses: predictions of PV lighting acceptance for various applications |

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