From Green Right Now Reports
Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, already making inroads in traffic signals and Christmas lights, will get yet another application in New England: Green Mountain Power has submitted a plan to the Vermont Public Service Board to offer LEDs in streetlights throughout its Colchester, Vt., service area.
LED street light. Image: OSRAM
The more energy-efficient lights would replace worn-out mercury vapor lighting. Already, Colchester’s is the first electric utility in New England to offer an LED rate for outdoor lighting.
If the plan gains approval from regulators, customers will be able to request LEDs when installing new streetlights or replacing old ones. Mercury vapor lights will be phased out over time.
LEDs create light from the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material. They produce a comparable amount of light with a 66 percent savings in energy relative to their mercury vapor counterparts. An LED light also has a potential lifespan of more than 25 years, compared to 5-7 years for traditional street lamp bulbs.
The LED fixtures Green Mountain Power also will help reduce light pollution and glare. They direct 100 percent of the light below the fixture, with no light escaping above.
“Offering this new lighting technology to our customers furthers Green Mountain Power’s commitment to being an environmentally responsible company,” said Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power president and chief executive officer.
“By promoting energy efficient technology, we help customers to reduce the amount of energy they use and we also protect Vermont night sky.”
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