Cities across the country are installing LED streetlights to save money.
Santa Ana, California will begin a project to install more than 1,000 light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights. According to the Orange County Register, the city officials said Santa Ana will cut down on energy usage as well as money.
The city will install LED safety lights at 298 intersections to better light the roadway and crosswalks, the Register reported.
Currently, Santa Ana uses high-pressure sodium lights that use approximately 225 watts each. According to the Register, the LED lights will consume less than 100 watts each but will not sacrifice resident safety as the lights will remain just as bright.
Santa Ana installed 253 LED streetlights in other areas of the city as part of a pilot test in 2011, the Register said. After the benefits of the test were realized, the city decided to install the lights at intersections across the city.
“That project has proven successful, as evidenced by a 50 percent energy savings this past year,” said a report by Raul Godinez, executive director of the Public Works Agency.
That project has proven successful, as evidenced by a 50 percent energy savings this past year
According to the Register, Santa Ana will save an estimated $120,000 in energy costs each year thanks to the new streetlight installations. The city will also reduce its carbon footprint by 659 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of taking 137 vehicles off the road, the Register said. City officials are also considering LED upgrades at other intersections throughout Santa Ana.
Iowa cities install LED streetlights
A Midwest state will enjoy the savings of energy efficient streetlights after it upgraded several lights with LED fixtures. The Iowa Environmental Council said energy efficiency projects are bringing benefits to cities across the state. LED installations in streetlights throughout Iowa are saving money on energy costs. The lighting is also helping to improve the quality of lighting on the roads, according to the council’s blog.
The streetlights are being replaced with LED fixtures as the current high-pressure sodium lamps expire. According to the council, the lighting from the LEDs are better directed at the ground than the current fixtures so lighting is brighter for residents and areas that need better lighting are more illuminated.
Approximately 44,000 streetlights will be replaced within the next seven years, the council said. The state is estimated to reduce energy usage by 9 million kilowatt-hours a year, the council’s blog reported.
Cities and states considering streetlight retrofits should contact the lighting specialists at Lumenistics to receive more information on the benefits of LED lighting.