Business

New streetlight burns brighter, lasts longer, saves $$, GE says

By Bill Moss, Published: June 4, 2012

General Electric Lighting Solutions says that the light fixtures made in East Flat Rock are saving cities around the U.S. millions of dollars in energy and maintenance costs while providing a bright white light that improves street visibility.

"With the installation of more than 41,000 GE Evolve LED streetlights, Las Vegas will reduce combined electricity and maintenance expenses to nearly $2.7 million a year," the company said. Superior, Neb., a town of just 2,000 people, expects to save $20,000 a year after getting 600 LED fixtures.
At a panel discussion on municipal street lighting last month at LIGHTFAIR International, the world's largest lighting trade show, GE's LED outdoor lighting manager, projected major growth in the line.
"We're seeing a rapid adoption of LED systems for roadways across the globe," said the manager, Tim Miller. "Cities are realizing very real energy and maintenance savings, and if they haven't already adopted LEDs, many towns are in the process of testing them and researching the possibility of their use."
International customers in Spain, China, Mexico and elsewhere abroad "are replacing legacy lighting systems with Evolve LED Roadway fixtures" made in East Flat Rock.
"Roadways are the new frontier of the solid-state lighting revolution. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates the installed base of street and highway lights in the U.S. alone is approximately 52 million. Currently, only one percent of U.S. streetlights are LED," the company said.
After the Las Vegas street lighting contract was offered for bid, the city selected GE and four other finalists to participate in a trial concluding in March 2011.
"This was a long and rigorous testing and qualifying process," Bob King, president and CEO of Design Concepts Inc., GE Lighting's authorized Las Vegas representative agency. "... Ultimately the decision fell to a team of lighting experts who meticulously analyzed performance, construction, engineered design characteristics, aesthetics and long-term value."
The following month, GE won the contract for an initial 6,600 LED fixtures to replace mercury vapor and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights on streets throughout the city.
"Las Vegas will launch the second phase of the project this spring, installing 35,000 additional GE Evolve LED fixtures over the next 12 months. Upon completion, more than 80 percent of Las Vegas' 50,000 streetlights will be powered by GE fixtures."
While mercury vapor and HPS lights lasted about four years on average, the new LEDs have a projected lifespan of 11 years—significantly extending the time between maintenance cycles, producing an additional $1 million cost benefit and resulting in a combined annual energy and maintenance savings of $2.7 million.
The switchover will remove carbon dioxide from the air equivalent to exhaust from 2,300 passenger cars, GE said.
"Las Vegas has a strong commitment to the environment and we are recognized internationally for our green initiatives," Las Vegas city manager Elizabeth N. Fretwell said in a news release. "People who don't live in Southern Nevada may not think of Las Vegas when they talk about the environment and energy efficiency, but the truth is our city is a leader in these areas."