Most solar lights use light emitting diode technology, or LED, which uses a chemical that emits light when an electrical current is passed through it. As this technology has become more sophisticated, the light emitted by LED's has become bright enough to use in outdoor garden areas and even in brighter situations such as spot lights. LED lights are the most cost effective light source you can get. They use only a fraction of the energy that traditional incandescent light bulbs use, and last many thousands of times longer.

Couple this energy saving technology with the ability to create the little amount of energy they do use from a renewable source such as the sun, and you have the cheapest, most energy efficient, and environmentally friendly light that you could hope to achieve. The solar technology uses solar panels to catch sunlight, convert it to useable energy, and store that energy in rechargeable batteries for later use. When first introduced to solar light technology, you may mistakenly assume that they are not very powerful because of their low wattage. This is a common misconception, and originates from people using wattage to specify the strength of incandescent light bulbs. The fact of the matter is, wattage is a measurement of energy, not of brightness, and does not give you a clear indication of just how bright an LED light is. Brightness is is actually measured using a scale called lumens or "candle feet".

The longevity of your light source from a solar powered light is going to be dependant on the size and quality of batteries used to store the electricity. Most outdoor solar garden lights are designed to last around eight to ten hours with fully charged batteries, so as long as you have had a nice sunny day; your lights should be able to be run all night.

The best thing about solar lights is that they need no connection to mains power, meaning that you have the freedom of installing them in and around your garden, regardless of how far away from the house they are. There's no need to call out and electrician, and no constant maintenance needed. Every so often you may need to have a quick run around and check that the solar panels are free of dust and grime, and replace the odd battery, but that will be the length and breadth of maintenance that needs to be done. Also, in the case of a blackout, your solar lights will continue to shine throughout the night.

Most good solar lights are manufactured with built in light sensitivity, which means that there is no need to go around and turn them on every night. As soon as the sun starts to set, your lights will turn on, and they will turn back off in the morning when the sun rises. This is great for those times when you go out in the afternoon and don't get home until late at night. You will no longer need to be fumbling around for your house keys or a light switch, as your outdoor solar lights would have already switched on, awaiting your arrival home.

There are a few different options that you can choose from when it comes to the material used to case your solar powered lights. The cheapest is plastic, but you need to be extra careful when purchasing plastic solar lights that they do not become brittle and weak when exposed to too much sunlight. A much more robust option is to go for stainless steel, which will not only stand up to harsh weather conditions, but will remain rust free, which is an important aspect to consider for any outdoor lighting system. For a little bit more charm and character, you could opt for copper fittings, which fit in well particularly as garden edging lights. 

You will find that these lights usually come in packets of two or four, and depending on your choice of materials, could range from anywhere as low as $15 up to $100 for a packet. Many hardware stores will offer discounts if you need to buy in bulk though, so it's well worth your while to shop around and find the best bargain for your needs.