Low voltage lighting is an easy-to-install type of wired-in lighting, while solar lights are stand-alone fixtures with built in solar panels.
Low-voltage lighting uses a transformer that plugs into your standard wall outlet. The transformer lowers your home’s typical 110-volt energy down to a 12-volt level for your outdoor light fixtures. That makes it safer to install and more energy efficient. Low-voltage lighting is a relatively easy way to install wired-in outdoor post lighting.
Solar lighting requires very little or no wiring during installation. Solar lights run on a solar panel that converts sunlight into energy, charging batteries that run the lights. Solar lights are typically controlled by a photocell, which turns the lights on when ambient sunlight is low and turns the lights back off when the sun comes up.