Swindon Borough Council on Friday said a total of 26,000 LED street lights had been installed around the Borough as part of the project to replace all the conventional streetlights with energy-efficient LED lights.
The initiative has resulted in at least a 60 per cent reduction in energy usage, and will bring savings of approximately £800,000 per year.
Swindon Borough Council started installing LED street lights in July 2020 and in just two years have completed the upgrading of street lights in the Borough.
The old low pressure sodium street lights were costing the Council £1.3m every year, and this was only expected to increase with rising energy costs. The lights also accounted for 3,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions which was more than half of the Council’s electricity-related emissions.
The old lights required a warm-up period, were inefficient, and projected an orange glow onto objects.
The new LED street lights can be turned on straight away and direct a brighter light down, making it safer for motorists and pedestrians.
Another benefit is that these new lights have a significantly longer lifespan, lasting for around 20 to 25 years, whereas the old lights needed to be replaced every three to six years. The upgraded lights are also significantly cheaper to operate and maintain, and can be switched off and dimmed during off-peak periods to further save energy.
Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Finance and Commercialisation, Councillor Keith Williams, said: “Like residents and organisations across Swindon, we’re committed to taking the action demanded by the climate emergency.
“Converting to more effective and energy-efficient LED street lights across Swindon is a triple win – bringing down the Council’s electricity usage, carbon footprint and energy bills.
“In our own homes too, replacing all lightbulbs with LED lights could reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40kg a year. This is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emitted by driving a car around 145 miles. Every action makes a difference, multiplied across the community.
“This project is an important step for the Council to make sure we continue to fight climate change.”
