Honolulu’s LED Lamps: Cutting on Carbon and Trimming Tax
Honolulu, the Hawaiian capital’s energy costs rank tenth on the pollution lists. In an attempt to reduce this figure, the city mayor wants to install solar street lamps which will help cut tax and Greenhouse Gas emissions.
Hawaii stands third in least energy consumption per capita, but the increasingly high population density mounts up its energy costs. 2013 saw a reduction in the use of electricity compared to 2011, saving some 9.9 million kilowatt Hours (kWHs). But the higher prices of electricity gloomed the accomplishment, costing a further $20 Million. Hence, a gradual 20% increase shows up in energy costs since 2011. As of 2010, 75% of the city’s electricity was generated from petroleum products. Despite a reduction of 15 cents per gallon of gasoline, the boosting use (of some 300,000 more gallons) is enough to drain down city funds.
This mounting energy costs worries the city mayor as the budget falls short for $46 million. Mayor Kirk Caldwell looks forward to cut down on funds by trimming down on energy costs. In a recent interview he said, 'I think it’s incumbent on us as an island community to do better with our energy resources, not shipping our short capital out off of this island, but keeping it here.'
Conserving energy is the best way to save it—the Mayor believes; and this can’t be done any better than transforming some 50,000 Sodium street lamps to LED. In a shot, the energy costs falls 40%. The scheme has installed 180 lamps already as a test run. The next step is probably going green with these lights. 630kW of 1MW of renewable energy have already been installed with a lot more photovoltaic panels under construction. A primary hurdle is the high construction costs of converting to LED; but that surely will pay off in a short time with absolutely no running costs. Improvisation can be added to aid city’s security, installing CC cameras or creating a civilian safe zone. Collaborating lighting and security, Philips says: “The white light of LED lighting enables better facial recognition and adequate color perception, not only by the human eye, but also by security cameras, strengthening crime prevention.”
Furnishing the streets with LED alone—is indeed a huge leap towards ‘Greenization’ (producing green energy through renewable sources), if not by cutting carbon; definitely by saving energy. Each Led lamp is 60% more efficient, lasting around 12 years—a long way for next replacement. A good design LED also runs longer than traditional metal halide, energy tubes, and incandescent or fluorescent lamps. Other added advantages are: reduced glare, low sensitivity to temperature, no poisonous gas release, quick turn on and off and obviously lesser compassion for nocturnal creatures! R&D continues to work on LED to reduce its minor disadvantages, such as light pollution and visual discomfort.
Highways of many large cities of Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, Philippines, Hungary, UK and the US have already converted to LED lamps. Buenos Aires in Argentina switched to LED late 2013, saving 670 million tons of carbon release. The US Department of Energy has a lot of potential projects under energy conservation. Honolulu hopefully crosses the threshold of high initial cost and enlightens her streets with energy savers while entertaining from her plentiful sun shine.
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