GENOVA Solar Bollard: Short Paths and Flower-Bed Edges
Low solar posts are the easiest outdoor light to add to a garden you already like: no trench, no electrician, no cable to cut with the lawnmower. The catch is that a 45 cm post sits right in the shadow of every shrub and border plant, and a European winter gives it very little sun to work with. GENOVA is a good low post if you place it for December rather than June.
Short answer
Buy GENOVA for a short path, a terrace edge or the border of a flower bed that gets open sky at midday. It is 45 cm tall, black, IP44, with 40 LEDs and three modes from a 100-lumen glow to a 1000-lumen burst when someone walks by. €64.90 on lumihome.com (Nov. 5, 2026). North of the Loire, run it in motion-only mode from November to February.
Where it ships: Lumihome delivers to France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal only. Not the UK, Ireland, Switzerland or anywhere outside the EU (as listed on lumihome.com on Nov. 5, 2026; check their site on the day).
The three modes, and when to use each
| Mode | Behaviour | Best season |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 lumens all night until the battery runs out (up to about 8 hours) | Spring and summer everywhere; all year in Lisbon, Seville or Malaga |
| 2 | 100 lumens, rising to 600 when it senses movement | Spring and autumn; winter only in southern Europe |
| 3 | Off until it senses movement, then 1000 lumens for 25 seconds | November to February in northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany |
The battery is a 3.7 V, 2200 mAh lithium-ion cell, roughly 8 watt-hours. One 25-second burst at up to 6 W uses about 0.04 Wh, so even a winter-weak charge covers a few dozen walks to the bin. A night of mode 1 does not.
How it does in a European winter
The chart below uses the EU Joint Research Centre's PVGIS data. On a flat panel, a December day in Paris delivers about 16% of the solar energy of a June day. Brussels, Amsterdam and Berlin get 10–13%. Lisbon, Madrid and Rome keep 25–29%. When a product page says "recharges in 6 to 8 hours", it means a sunny day, not a northern winter.
- Northern France, Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Germany. Expect a December day to put back a fraction of a full charge. Mode 3 is the only setting that reliably lasts the evening.
- Bordeaux, Lyon, the Loire. Around a fifth of summer energy. Mode 3 most of the time, mode 2 after a sunny spell.
- Mediterranean coast, Spain, Portugal, central Italy. A quarter or more of summer energy. Mode 2 usually makes it through the evening.
- Frost matters too. Lithium-ion cells should not be charged below 0 °C, and the charging circuit typically waits. On frosty mornings real charging may only start around noon.
Placing a 45 cm post
- Check the November shadow. Stand where the post will go between 11:00 and 14:00. If you are in the shade of a hedge, wall or the house, so is the panel.
- Keep plants below the panel. At 45 cm, lavender and grasses grow over it by midsummer. Leave a clear ring or put the post on the path side of the bed.
- Space them 3 to 4 m apart for a path you can see your feet on, or 5 to 6 m if you only want to mark the edge. Stagger them on alternate sides rather than lining both edges.
- Fix it down. The box has a base plate and screws for hard surfaces. On soil, set the plate on a paving slab or small concrete pad so it stays upright after frost heave.
- Charge 1 to 2 days before first use, then switch on in darkness (or with the panel covered) with a long press.
Who it suits, who it doesn't
Good fit: terraced or semi-detached gardens with a short, open path; Mediterranean courtyards; renters who can't dig; anyone who wants light only when someone is actually walking past.
Pick something else if: the spot is shaded at midday (no solar light will work); sprinklers hit it directly (IP44 is splash-proof, not jet-proof); you need light every night all winter (see the wired Pyramide 1500); or you want a softer, low-glare look (see ORION).
Questions
How far does the motion sensor reach?
The spec sheet gives both "up to 8 m" and "max 10 m". Plan on about 8 m across a 90° angle.
Can I replace the battery?
The light uses a standard 3.7 V lithium-ion cell. The fixture has a two-year guarantee; the battery is excluded, as with most solar lights.
Will it work on a north-facing patio?
Not well. The panel needs direct midday sun, and in winter a north-facing patio gets almost none.
Can I get it delivered to the UK?
No. Lumihome ships to France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal only.
Specs and price checked on lumihome.com on Nov. 5, 2026. Winter figures are our estimates from EU PVGIS data and the battery and power ratings.
