Work has begun to replace existing streetlights with energy-efficient LED alternatives across Shellharbour City, potentially saving Council approximately $165,000 annually.
In June this year, Council was awarded $242,000 grant funding under The Office of Environment and Heritage’s Accelerated Lighting Upgrade Program.
Council invested $645,000 into the project, which involves the replacement of 2279 street lights. The total project cost is $798,000 and will be carried out by Endeavour Energy on behalf of Council.
It is estimated that the program will reduce Council’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 801.11 tCO2 per annum, equivalent to taking 172 average cars off the road per year.
This initiative is state-wide and will see the replacement of 29,000 lights across NSW before completion in May 2020, with the total to grow if more Councils participate.
Shellharbour Mayor Councillor Marianne Saliba said that the installation of LED streetlights was a fantastic program for Council.
“Taking advantage of modern technological advancements, such as LED street lighting, gives us the ability to significantly reduce our contribution to climate change,” Cr Saliba said.
“By also reducing the money spent on energy bills for city lighting, Council will be able to redirect savings to other important projects to improve services and amenities for our residents,” she said.
LED lighting has a better quality light distribution and can be used to direct light on specific areas to enhance brightness and the overall safety of public spaces. They can also last up to six times longer than other types of lights, leading to significantly less replacements.
