One of the largest street light upgrade programs in Victoria has begun in Geelong.
Council and energy company Powercor are replacing the first of about 15,000 residential street lights with light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires.
The LED luminaires, including new smart photoelectric cells, are about 85 per cent more energy efficient than the existing mercury vapour lights.
The luminaries will provide higher-quality and better-directed lighting, with a greater spread across and along the street, according to council
The inclusion of smart control technology will enable remote adjustment of the lighting output and deliver improvements to road safety, public amenity and asset management.
The rollout is the first stage of an overall project that will convert all of greater Geelong’s 25,000-plus street lights to LED.
Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher praised the project, stating that reducing carbon emissions was a key feature of council’s Sustainability Framework Action Plan 2020-2022.
“The municipality-wide upgrade will have significant impacts for our community, our environment and the economy,” Cr Asher said.
“The huge reduction in energy consumption will see us save more than 8000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.
“This will allow us to redirect about $2 million annually, from the lower energy and maintenance costs, into other public services.”
Assembled in Australia by Sylvania Schréder, the lights are owned and maintained by energy distribution business Powercor.
About 98 per cent of the material of the old lights – glass, mercury and aluminium – will be recycled, according to council.
