by Brianna Crandall — March 21, 2011—Green Mountain Power (GMP) and Efficiency Vermont are partnering to help every town in GMP’s service territory change over to Light Emitting Diode (LED) street lights, which are more energy efficient.
With the support of Efficiency Vermont, Green Mountain Power expects to replace thousands of mercury vapor and high pressure sodium street lights with new energy-efficient LED street lights in towns throughout its service territory. Efficiency Vermont will supply a Step-By-Step Guide to Implementing an Outdoor LED Project, as well as enhanced technical assistance and financial rebates.
Compared with existing mercury vapor bulbs, LED lights produce a comparable amount of light with an average 66 percent savings in energy use or watts, notes GMP. In addition, LEDs are extremely long-lasting. An LED lamp has a potential lifespan of up to 25 years, compared to 5-7 years for traditional street light lamps.
GMP says that towns switching to LED streetlights will reduce light pollution and glare while saving money and electricity, since LEDs can be more precisely directed to illuminate only the desired areas, such as streets, walkways and parking lots. As towns served by GMP convert their streetlights to the new technology, Vermont plans to continue to be a leader in international efforts to preserve the night sky.
