Streetlights are a common feature of our everyday environment that many of us take for granted, but their contribution to increasing carbon emissions should not be underplayed.
Traditional street lighting uses an estimated 2% of all electricity in the UK, with 1,218,590 tonnes of C02 being emitted into the atmosphere every year, enough to fill almost a quarter of a million air balloons.
E.ON, one of the UK’s leading power and gas suppliers, and its specialist Sustainable Energy Solution (SES) business, is breaking new ground by becoming one the first companies in the UK to develop LED streetlights specifically designed to help reduce carbon emissions and electricity consumption.
Working together with Advanced LEDs, a leading innovator in the LED market, E.ON’s Sustainable Energy team has developed high powered LED streetlights, which offer up to 50% reduction in carbon emissions and around a 25% reduction in energy consumption, while boasting an eightfold increase in lifetime. The LED streetlight is specifically designed to meet the stringent standards of the PFI market and other similar high performing lighting markets. With improvements in material technology and reflector design, this is a cutting edge solution for large scale applications such as street lighting.
E.ON’s Coventry office is being a guinea pig by trialling this new LED streetlight installation. In December 2008, 11 LED luminaires had been installed in and around E.ON’s Coventry visitor’s car park. This LED streetlight installation trial has already provided a useful case study and demonstration model for future developments. With an astonishing energy consumption reduction of 26% and a carbon reduction of 40% already achieved, a roll out plan to all E.ON-owned sites is a very real possibility.
Richard Scott, Head of Marketing for Sustainable Energy Solutions at E.ON, said: “We’re committed to changing the way people view and use energy, and are working hard to continue to reduce the carbon footprint of homes and buildings across the UK.
“This is an example of how, through technological advancement, the CO2 emissions from street lighting could be halved – delivering clear benefits for our environment and cost savings for our business customers.
“And we’re delighted to be able to trial the system at our own headquarters.”
LED streetlights offer many advantages over conventional lighting. In addition to a 25% reduction in energy consumption and up to 50% reduction in carbon emissions, LED lamps are also expected to last for up to 100,000 hours, or almost 8 times the length of traditional streetlights. The lights also contain no harmful mercury or heavy metals, making them easier to dispose of.
Trials have shown that the bright white light offered by the LED lamps make it easier for pedestrians and vehicles to identify each other, which could help reduce crime levels as well as save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
To find out more visit
www.eonenergy.com/sustainableenergy or call 0800 051 5687.
