Electricity costs are rising across Australia, and many households are asking the same question: how can I lower my electric bill?
Outdoor lighting is a quiet line on an Australian power bill—garden lights, porch lights and security floods can run every night without anyone noticing, but they show up on the bill all the same. This guide walks through six changes that cut that line, ranked by how much each one actually saves per year.
One anchor for all the numbers below: at 2025–26 Victorian Default Offer rates of roughly 29 cents per kWh (the regulated range runs 27–35c depending on your network zone), here's what each change is really worth.
Why Lighting Matters for Your Electric Bill
Traditional incandescent or halogen lights use more energy and generate more heat, which adds to your overall electricity usage. Lights that stay on unnecessarily—whether indoors or outside—contribute to higher energy bills, especially in larger homes.
Outdoor lighting is easy to overlook because nobody sees it working: a garden lighting set left on dusk to dawn burns roughly 10 hours a night, every night of the year. That's how a handful of small fittings turns into a meaningful share of the bill.
The Six Changes, Ranked by What They Save
1. Switch your outdoor lighting to solar — saves up to about $106 a year
The biggest single win. A typical set of ten wired outdoor lights (10W each, 100W total, running about ten hours a night) uses around 365 kWh a year—about $106 a year at 29c per kWh. Swap them for solar versions of the same fittings and that line drops to $0: solar garden lights and solar path lights for beds and walkways, and solar wall lights to replace hardwired porch or garage fittings. They charge by day and run automatically at night, with no wiring and no electrician.
2. Replace halogen floodlights with LED — saves about $64 a year per fitting
A 150W halogen floodlight swapped for a 30W LED of similar brightness saves 120W; run five hours a night, that's about 219 kWh or roughly $64 a year—per light. LEDs also last 10–15 times longer and run cooler. LED lighting now covers every brightness level and colour temperature, indoors and out.
3. Put security lights on motion sensors or timers — saves about $57 a year for a pair
Two 30W LED floodlights left on dusk to dawn burn about 10 hours a night; a motion sensor cuts that to roughly one hour of actual use. Those nine saved hours are worth about 197 kWh—around $57 a year—and the light is arguably more effective, since a sudden burst of brightness startles intruders in a way a constant glow never does.
4. Replace the remaining incandescent and CFL bulbs — saves about $27 a year
Ten 60W incandescent bulbs swapped for 9W LEDs, running five hours a night, save about 93 kWh annually—roughly $27 a year—plus fewer replacements, since LEDs last 10–15 times longer. Choose bulbs with a high energy star rating for areas that stay on long hours, like the kitchen or living room.
5. Add dimmers and smart schedules — saves about $15 a year
Smart bulbs, timers and dimmers automate the habit side of lighting: schedules switch things off you'd forget, and dimming a light to 70% cuts its draw by roughly 30%. For a home spending about $150 a year on lighting, trimming a tenth of that is worth around $15 a year—modest, but it compounds with every other change on this list.
6. Light by task, and switch off what you don't need — saves about $8 a year per light
The oldest habit still earns its place. One 40W light switched off two hours earlier each night saves about 29 kWh a year—around $8. Use focused task lighting for desks and reading corners instead of lighting a whole room, and open blinds by day so you need less artificial light at all.
Where Solar Fits Best
Beyond paths and walls, solar lighting covers almost every outdoor job without adding a cent to the bill:
- Patios, balconies, and decorative zones: solar decorative lights and solar floor lamps create atmosphere without adding to your bill.
- Driveways and security areas: solar floodlights provide high-lumen brightness with motion sensors built in.
- Posts and entrances: solar post lights and solar pillar lights run entirely off solar power.
These lighting options are especially useful in homes with large outdoor areas, but can also work indoors if you have sunlit rooms or verandas.
Beyond Lighting
Lighting is a good place to start, but you'll see bigger results by combining it with other habits: upgrading appliances with high energy star ratings, unplugging idle electronics or using smart power boards to eliminate standby power, sealing gaps around doors and windows, running ceiling fans before the air conditioner, and running major appliances during off-peak hours.
Final Thoughts
Start with the change that saves the most: solar takes your entire outdoor lighting line to $0 and needs no electrician. Then work down the list—LED swaps, sensors, dimmers, habits—each one small on its own, but adding up to a quieter power bill month after month.
Browse the full solar garden lights range to see where your outdoor lighting budget could disappear to—in the best way.
