Councils light the way to efficiency

Councils across Australia are implementing large-scale LED street lighting upgrades in order to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Western Sydney is the location of NSW’s biggest active LED street light replacement project. The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) is currently implementing the Light Years Ahead project that will replace around 13,000 80 W mercury vapour street lights with LED lights across Western Sydney Councils.

The participating councils will save an estimated $21 million over 20 years at current electricity prices (20 years being the approximate life of a street light). The WSROC is coordinating the project on behalf of the nine participant councils — Blue Mountains, Blacktown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Hills Shire, Holroyd, Liverpool, Parramatta and Penrith. Over 100 Western Sydney suburbs in these councils will have new LED street lights installed in their neighbourhoods over the next 10 months by Endeavour Energy crews. Approximately 10% of 126,955 street lights within nine councils will be replaced.

The works are expected to complete by March 2016 with the project wrapping up in May 2016.

“Public lighting costs millions of dollars each year, with street lighting dominating 55% of our councils’ energy costs. So, anything councils can do to reduce costs allows us to redirect funding to other projects, infrastructure and wider services,” said WSROC President, Cllr Tony Hadchiti.

“This project is one of many LED street light projects around Australia. Local councils are making huge achievements on behalf of their ratepayers. These projects don’t just happen, they take the efforts of many people and some major financial funding and allocation. Our councils are determined to make financial savings while reducing our impact on the environment. This project ticks both of those boxes.”

This project has received funding from the Australian Government. The approximate project cost is around $7.8 million dollars — $5.3 million will be contributed by the Australian Government, with a co-contribution of $2.6 million by participating Western Sydney councils and WSROC.

“The new lights meet Australian Standards in street lighting and the LEDs have undergone thorough testing by Endeavour Energy,” said Hadchiti. “By changing to an LED there is an energy reduction of approximately 77% compared to a mercury vapour — a significant saving for our councils.

“Savings from this project can be directed into other future street lighting, energy or infrastructure projects — there are many options,” he said.

The project officially launched at an event held at Penrith City Council in May. “There is no bigger threat to our communities than climate change. Through this project Western Sydney will be saving 74,000 tonnes of CO₂, which is the equivalent to taking 17,209 cars off the road each year,” said Mayor of Penrith, Cllr Ross Fowler OAM.

“Penrith first turned on its street lights 125 years ago. The next 125 years will show everyone our region is committed to ‘greener’ street lighting solutions.”

The Light Years Ahead project is preceded by a number of other government and council funded projects in NSW. In 2012, City of Sydney installed their first LED street lights. The city planned to replace around 6500 conventional lights with LEDs over three years.

WSROC will continue to monitor opportunities to extend street lighting replacement in Greater Western Sydney. The nine councils have significant group purchasing power and have significant economic muscle in the Greater Sydney region.

Light Years Ahead has the potential to open discussions about the ownership of street lighting — most street lights are owned by energy providers, not councils. The value and scope of contracts with energy providers will continue to be debated in future negotiations.

There are opportunities for other NSW Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs) to join ROCs like WSROC and SSROC to attempt to open larger discussions regarding the future of street lighting. This infrastructure area affects state and federal governments, energy providers and bodies such as the Australian Energy Regulator.

While advocacy opportunities continue to be discussed and monitored by ROCs, the Light Years Ahead will roll out across 100-plus suburbs. In doing so, the nine councils involved will make major cost and emissions savings on behalf of their residents.