Under the scope of its mandatory functions, the Municipal Corporation Jabalpur (MCJ), pumps a large amount of manpower, technology, and expenditure toward its street lighting. This is evidenced by the fact that street lighting accounts for 20% of its total electricity bill (i.e. 9,200,000/year (Results as per CCP survey 2001)). Unfortunately, the current energy consumption pattern is less than satisfactory. As a result, ICLEI along with MCJ proposed an energy efficient street lighting pilot project to reduce the expenditure and improve the energy efficiency in the prevailing system.

Pilot Project Details
Under the scope of the `Cities for Climate Protection" Campaign the city of Jabalpur has taken a step forward and carried out an initiative entitled "Retrofit Street Lighting Pilot Project", made operational September 24, 2002. The project is located at two important locations in Jabalpur, namely Nehru Garden, MCJ and Janki Nagar Residential Area, where 51 energy saving retrofit tube lights were installed. The cost of the project was Rs. 50,000, 70% of which was shared by ICLEI, with the remaining 30% contributed by the project consultant - Asian Electronics Ltd.

The basic concept for the project is a retrofit of the conventional street light system with an energy efficient tube-light system. Jabalpur streets, walkways and parks are commonly lit with 40 Watt fluorescent tube lights with ballasts that consume an additional 10-13 watts. To reduce energy consumption, 28 Watt T-5 retrofit tube lights have been introduced on the pilot project sites.

The new tube-lights have a higher luminary rating, longer life span, lower failure rate and perform better under the highly fluctuating voltage that plagues the city's electricity supply.

Results Achieved and Observations
The data gathered after six months of monitoring and observations suggests that the savings associated with the retrofit is Rs. 35/month/tube, according to 10-hour illumination/day (Refer table below) and including maintenance and labour charges. This will also lead to an annual reduction of 7 Tonnes of Green-House-Gas emissions.

Salient Features of Retrofit Tube Light

Savings with Retrofit Tube Light

Savings for Nehru Park/tube light/month = 17,876/12/36 = 41.37****
Savings for Janki Nagar/ tube light/month = 7312/15/12 = 40.6****

* A loop of 36 Tube lights
** A loop of 15 Tube lights
*** Maintenance cost @ Rs. 25/tube light/month
****Data as per 11 hrs 50 min of burning but if genralised for 10 hours burning it will be 35 per tube light
Note: Cost of electricity per unit is taken as Rs.1.8. Jabalpur tariff is unusually low, normally it is Rs 4.0/ unit. Hence the savings and GHG emission reduction goes up by 3 times

MCJ is receiving satisfactory appreciation from visitors at Nehru Park and local residents in Janki Nagar. Further, energy conservation agencies are promoting energy conservation awareness among citizens by frequently visiting at the pilot project sites.

Future scenario of savings for MCJ:
With respect to the future, the city is studying the feasibility of replacing an existing 33,000 tube-lights with new efficient 28 Watt tube-lights, resulting in a reduced energy consumption of 3 million electrical units annually (Refer to table below).

* as per demo project results
** as per DGS&D Rt. Contract
*** as per CCP Software
****guarantee as provided by supplier

In terms of economy, the capital investment and operational costs for the above energy savings will be repaid within 1 year and 9 months.