The Benefits of Solar Powered CCTV for Rural Sites

It’s a new dawn, a new day, and environmentally-friendly technology is now leading the way.

Old-fashioned, inefficient CCTV systems are being shelved, making way for solar powered CCTV cameras, which will reduce energy bills, provide consistent, round-the-clock coverage, and more.

Join us as we discuss the benefits that solar powered CCTV systems can have for your rural site. We’ll also shatter some of the misconceptions surrounding solar-powered technology, including how it remains highly effective even under grey English skies.

How does solar powered CCTV work?

While it may seem fairly complicated, solar power is a relatively simple concept. The sun’s glorious rays are absorbed by a panel attached to the camera and converted into fully functioning electricity. Of course, these panels aren’t just made of any old material. They contain photovoltaic (PV) cells, made of semiconductor materials, such as silicon.

What do photovoltaic cells do?

When sunlight hits the PV cells, small electromagnetic particles, known as photons, are absorbed by atoms within the semiconducting silicon material. This excites electrons, which are co-inhabiting the space, freeing them from their atoms. The freed electrons are then collected by the solar cell, creating an electric DC current.

The DC electricity is then passed through an inverter, which turns it into AC electricity. This is the form of electricity that powers our homes, appliances, and solar powered CCTV systems.

Benefits of solar powered CCTV for rural sites

Now you - hopefully - have a grasp on how solar power works, let’s dive into the benefits that solar powered CCTV can have for your rural site. Of course, as we’re talking about businesses, the most obvious place to start is the financial side of things.

Cheaper energy source

CCTV systems, especially those with 24/7 coverage, aren’t cheap to run domestically.

Solar power, in the long-run, is considerably cheaper than using electricity, as after all, sunlight remains a completely free amenity. Solar-powered systems will ultimately pay for themselves, as you won’t be relying on the grid for the power they use.

Even the once hefty costs of purchasing and installing solar-powered equipment are on a downward trajectory as manufacturing costs decrease.

Environmentally-friendly solution

As well as benefitting your business’s wallet, using solar powered CCTV will also have a positive impact on the environment. Solar power is a renewable energy source that doesn’t require the use of fossil fuels to keep things ticking along.

Lowering your carbon footprint will ensure you meet sustainability targets and comply with modern regulations. Even if your building hasn’t yet pivoted its entire infrastructure toward renewable energy, investing in solar powered CCTV is a step in the right direction.

Consistent, round-the-clock monitoring

Unless the world is plunged into total darkness by an unprecedented, month-long solar eclipse, your solar-powered system will continue to operate. For a start, it will be able to reserve excess energy created on the brightest summer days for use on the cloudy days we are so accustomed to in Britain.

That’s not to say that solar energy isn’t generated on cloudy and rainy days, because it is. However, it isn’t generated in quite the same quantities.

With such an excess of solar energy, the system will continue to operate at night and during electricity blackouts. This means you’ll have access to 24/7 monitoring whatever the weather, time, or local electrical situation.

Freedom of movement

As previously mentioned, solar powered CCTV systems don’t rely on the mains for power. This drastically reduces the cabling required to set the cameras up. A lack of wires creates a freedom of movement to place the cameras in strategically positive positions.

You won’t need to worry about rerouting an entire system of cables to introduce a new camera into the mix.

This point is especially pertinent for rural sites that require cameras to be spread across large distances. Setting up a wired system for a huge rural property is a logistical headache that you won’t have to worry about with wireless solar-powered CCTV.

Perfect for rural areas

If your business is based in a rural area, there’s a chance that your connection to the grid isn’t always as reliable as you’d like. Solar powered CCTV systems will counteract this issue perfectly, as they don’t need the grid to operate efficiently.

This makes them an ideal solution for farm owners looking to keep further-flung areas of their property safe from intruders.

Mythbusting solar powered CCTV

It won’t work on cloudy days

Solar powered CCTV cameras will generate electricity on cloudy days, just in smaller quantities. Your cameras are likely to have excess energy stored up, meaning they will continue to operate whatever the weather.

Solar powered CCTV is too expensive

Solar powered CCTV cameras may be slightly more expensive to purchase and install, but they will save you money going forward. That’s because they will produce their own electricity, rather than relying on electricity produced by the grid.

Solar powered CCTV systems create weaker energy

The energy created by solar powered CCTV systems isn’t weaker than that created by the grid, it just runs on a different voltage. Contrary to some beliefs, you are highly unlikely to experience latency issues or temporary blackouts with solar-powered equipment.

Secure your rural property with Incognito Systems

Your property is more than just your livelihood, it’s the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. So, don’t leave anything to chance when it comes to keeping it safe from intruders.

At Incognito Systems, we have been helping businesses around the Northamptonshire area keep their properties protected since 2017, installing bespoke CCTV systems based around their needs. We don’t try to upsell companies; instead we use our expertise to provide you with the ideal solution to your security problems.

Your business deserves high-level monitoring and protection. Contact us today for more information about how we can help you keep your rural property safe with a premium, solar powered CCTV system.