Tuesday 3 December 2013

New London street lights could slash 40% of energy use

London’s street lamps could use 40% less energy by 2016 as new plans are afoot to replace them with energy saving, light emitting diode (LED) lights.

In three years' time Transport for London hopes to save £1.85million a year with the scheme. The lighting system will also become centrally controlled. 

In the process this should slash CO2 from energy use by around 9,700 tonnes a year. 

 

TfL has around 52,000 street lights and intends to update 35,000 of these during its regular streetlight maintenance by 2016. Over the next ten years the LED technology will be rolled out across the majority of lamps.

The first phase of the scheme will cost £10.9m and the transport body expects to make this back through energy savings.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson described it as the largest single investment to modernise main road street lighting in the city’s history.

He said: “With tens of thousands of lights marking the way on our road network it makes complete sense to focus energy and resources on bringing them up to 21st century standards.”

Dana Skelley, Director of Asset Management at TfL said: “The performance and cost effectiveness of energy efficient lighting has improved considerably over the last few years. Our aim is to provide assets fit for the future.”

A new Central Management System (CMS) will allow TfL to remotely check up on street lighting and adjust lighting levels depending on the traffic flows and road usage at different times of night.

Past changes to road lighting in London proved successful according to TfL. It says new LEDs along the Upper Thames Street Tunnel in June 2011 brought a 60% drop in energy use.

The Mayor has set a target of a 60% reduction in London’s CO2 emissions by 2025.