Street lights using LED can save as much as 85% energy compared to conventional lighting, according to new research.
The study also claims LEDs could save 670 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.
The report ‘Lighting the Clean Revolution: The Rise of LED Street Lighting and What it Means for Cities’ was launched as part of the Clean Revolution campaign at the Rio+20 UN Global Compact Corporate Sustainability Forum.
The study includes 15 separate trials across 12 cities within a two and half year period, which shows the global market and potential for LED technology and provides guidelines for city lights managers who wish to install the lighting.
The report claims residents of the pilot cities said the LED lighting improved visibility and they felt safer. It also showed the lifespan of the light ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 hours, with a high return on investment.
Mark Kenber, CEO of The Climate Group, who produced the report said: “LED technology is energy efficient, scalable and positively impacts on the public; it is the Clean Revolution in action. We are now calling on Governments to remove policy obstacles and enable a rapid transition to low carbon lighting.”
