LED
(light-emitting diode) use has increased dramatically in recent years. LEDs are now widely used for a range of
lighting applications including traffic signals, vehicle headlamps and room
lighting because of their low energy consumption and long lifetime.
They are
also being used for street lighting. In a notable Australian example the City
of Sydney in March 2012 began a three year process of replacing a total of
6,448 conventional street lamps with LEDs.
After 16 months the city had reduced energy usage by more than 27% - in
the process saving $300,000 and reducing carbon emissions by 1,547 tonnes.
This
example, as well as overseas examples, should be encouraging the changeover
more widely throughout Australia.
The
Institute of Public Works Engineering Australia (IPWEA) is concerned that the
ownership of public street lights by electricity distribution authorities has
led to the avoiding or deferring of installation of these more efficient,
environmentally friendly LEDs.
In
Australia local councils are responsible for provision of public street
lighting which costs these councils collectively over $400 million per
year. Yet 90% of these street lights are
owned and maintained by utility companies. The IPWEA believes that this has produced a
conflict of interest where there is no real incentive for power suppliers, who
are in the business of selling electricity, to reduce its consumption by
installing more energy efficient lights.
According
to the IPWEA the changeover to LED street lamps would bring tremendous benefits
to both local councils and the environment, halving power consumption and
reducing Australia's CO2 emissions
by as much as 720,000 tonnes per year while also saving councils
throughout the country as much as $87 million collectively.
The
IPWEA also believes LED street lighting brings other advantages. Traffic safety
is improved because of the clarity of the whiter light enables drivers to react
better to emergencies and maintenance expenses are significantly lower for
LEDs.
Perhaps
the Federal Government could become interested in a national changeover
program. After all, changing the
nation's street lights to LEDs could be a really effective form of "Direct
Action" in reducing carbon emissions.
- Leonie Blain
This article was published in the VOICES FOR THE EARTH column in The Daily Examiner on August 18, 2014.
