Victoria

• Council actions
• Regulatory and market structure
• State developments
• Stakeholders
• Technical Information
• Funding opportunities

Edwardes Lake Park Project
Darebin City Council has considered best practice in public lighting and efficiency in the design of the flexible lighting system to replace the current lighting system which is considered beyond safe repair. The lamps being used are Compact Fluorescent Lamps and are expected to use half the energy of the old system. The project will also save energy via its switching system which will use a staged shut down between midnight and 5am.

In a further move towards Darebin's zero emissions target, council plans to offset the energy used by the new lighting system by installing a 2 kilowatt grid connected photovoltaic solar array on one of its buildings. Work is set to commence in June 2009.

Active Reactor trial in City of Melbourne
Seventy Active Reactor devices in new modern luminaires have been installed along Collins Street, replacing the standard 250 watt and 400 watt metal halide luminaries fitted across the rest of the city. This world-first technology, developed in Victoria and manufactured in Australia, will now be demonstrated over the next two years through funding provided by the City of Melbourne.

The street lamps will be metered throughout the duration of the technology demonstration to determine the reduction in electricity consumption against that of conventional street lamps located within the CBD. The results of the project will be used to promote wider uptake of the technology across Australia and overseas.

Solar powered road studs in Whittlesea
Arthurs Creek Road, which has few street lights and many curves, requires drivers to be extra vigilant. As one way of addressing this issue Whittlesea Council has installed 500 metres of solar powered road stud lighting. The innovative lights have already been praised by motorists who have had an increase in visibility from around 90 metres to up to 900 metres therefore improving driver reaction time.  For additional information on the trial contact Michael Lamers, the Team Leader of Transport Engineering, (03) 9217 2344.

Multiple trials and installations in Wodonga
The City of Wodonga, Victoria has taken some simple and effective measures to implement sustainable lighting projects. As part of a staged bulk changeover the 2x14W T5 linear flourescents will be installed as a standard street light to replace existing 80W mercury vapours. Several other trials of energy efficient technologies have also begun, including:

• 42W CFL’s - in Whitebox estate
• Active reactors in HPS lights - Victoria Cross Parade 
• Solar lighting

The City of Wodonga is well placed to identify future projects to reduce energy use in its street lighting sector. For more information contact Ray Henderson, Director City Infrastructure, Ph: +61 (0)2 6022 9254 or Mob:  0418 523 170.

NAGA Sustainable Public Lighting Action Program (*UPDATE see State Developments below)
In 2006, the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) received funding from the Sustainability Accord to undertake a three-year Sustainable Public Lighting Action Program. The program includes:

• Developing Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plans for NAGA councils that do not yet have one
• Briefing workshops for NAGA council staff on the latest trends in sustainable public lighting
• Assisting environmental, planning, engineering and finance staff of NAGA councils to prepare detailed plans for installation of sustainable public lighting
• Developing a Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan for the NAGA region.

In addition, NAGA works with other groups to address regulatory and other barriers impeding widespread installation of efficient public lighting, including a Strategic Roadmap, State-Wide Business Case and Walk the Talk project (a retrofit guide for metered non-streetlighting assets, using efficient options such as T5s, LEDs and Active Reactors).  NAGA has also received funding from Sustainability Victoria to produce the Bright Sparks bulletin focusing on sustainable streetlighting in Victoria.

For more information about NAGA's sustainable public lighting work, please contact Judy Bush, NAGA Coordinator, Ph: +61 (0)3 9381 1722.

Western Port Greenhouse Alliance Sustainable Public Lighting Project

ICLEI Oceania delivered a capacity building sustainable public lighting project during 2006–07 in partnership with the Western Port Greenhouse Alliance (WPGA) and the Energy Doctor. The project was funded by Sustainability Victoria and involved the WPGA councils undertaking a gap analysis, developing a Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan, and creating a regional Western Port Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan to guide coordinated action.

Participating councils included the City of Casey, City of Greater Dandenong, Bass Coast Shire Council, City of Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. The City of Frankston, which developed a SPLAP in 2005, was also involved in the regional SPLAP process.

Project Update (May 2008): The WPGA councils have formed the Western Port Sustainable Public Lighting Action Group (WesP SPLAG). The group meets quarterly and is focused on the implementation of the regional action plan. In 2007-08, the group is completing a project funded by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to develop Sustainable Public Lighting Business Plans. With the assistance of consultants Ironbark Sustainability, the project is examining the environmental and financial implications of replacing existing lighting stock with efficient lights at the next available bulk changeover. As a result of the project and consultation with the distributors, participating councils will develop a detailed plan to finance and roll out the new lights over the next few years.

For more information, please contact Daniel Pleiter, Greenhouse Officer, WPGA, Ph: +61 (0)3 9705 5662.

Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance
The Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance (CVGA) comprises 14 local governments, seven business, government and community organisations and numerous working groups. It coordinates a program of greenhouse gas abatement activities, including energy efficient public lighting. For more information, contact Bronwyn Machin, Executive Officer, CVGA, Ph: +61 (0) 438 867 183.

The Street Light Group of Councils
The Street Light Group of Councils (SLG), formed in December 2002, now represents 31 Victorian rural and metropolitan municipalities on street lighting issues. The SLG has quarterly regular meetings, with a core group meeting monthly to work on specific projects.  The SLG serves as a forum for increasing the knowledge and understanding of public lighting issues and opportunities, and provides a united voice for its members on various sector issues.

The SLG’s objectives include:

• Achieving fair and reasonable street lighting charges for OMR (Operations, Maintenance and Repair)
• Clarifying roles and responsibilities in the provision of street lighting
• Development of the street light market, e.g. competitive service provision
• A transparent and accountable public lighting regulatory framework.

To date, the SLG has saved money for members on the 2004 OMR review, and is currently working on a revision of the Public Lighting Code, councils’ liability issues with non-standard lights, and public lighting policies that protect the best interests of councils.

For more information on the SLG please contact Craig Marschall, Ph: +61 (0)3 9418 3907.

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Public lighting services provided by distribution businesses are governed by the Victorian Public Lighting Code (2005), which is regulated by the Essential Services Commission (ESC). The Code sets the minimum level of service that distribution businesses must provide to their public lighting customers (i.e. councils).

Key features of the code include:

• applicability of the code
• minimum standards
• provision of information
• new and altered public lights
• billing of public lighting services
• dispute resolutions.

The ESC's regulatory responsibilities are prescribed by the National Electricity (Victoria) Act 1997 and the National Electricity Code. The Commission has power to issue licences, codes and guidelines and make price determinations which regulate access to natural monopoly services, such as the provision of some aspects of public lighting such as the operation, maintenance and replacement (OMR) charge. OMR charges, which the ESC refers to as excluded service charges, are regulated by the ESC where they apply to fittings that are owned by the distribution business.

For new public lighting, lighting customers are free to choose who provides the operation, maintenance and replacement services. However, monopoly distributor ownership and service provision is the most common approach.

The Commission conducted a Review of Public Lighting Service Charges in 2004, concluding that the charges proposed by the distributors were fair and reasonable, with some exceptions. Where a charge was not considered to be fair and reasonable, distributor were required to submit a revised charge.

The Commission approved and published these revised charges, which were applicable from 1 October 2004. For more information about the Victorian public lighting regulatory environment, see Appendix H of the Review, which provides a comprehensive overview.

For updates on developments in Victoria, see the latest Bright Sparks edition.

Ironbark Sustainability information on bulk change overs for Victorian councils
This PowerPoint on preparing for bulk change over was provided to some councils through ICLEI's Q&A service. It introduces some points for councils to think about when planning for bulk change overs.

AER releases final decision on operation, maintenance and repair charges for energy efficient public lighting
The Australian Energy Regulator assumed responsibility for economic regulation of Victoria's electricity distribution services on 1 January 2009. The body has, most recently, been considering fair and reasonable charges for operation, maintenance and repair charges for energy efficient public lighting and has now released its final report. The report sets out the AER findings on fair and reasonable charges for T5s, timing of ballast replacement, unit cost of materials, number of bulk changes to occur per day and an OMR cost.

Strategic State wide Business Case: Sustainable Public Lighting in Victoria
The Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action, NAGA, Public Lighting Action Program has produced its final report. Banyule City Council managed the project on behalf of NAGA and the it was funded through the Sustainability Fund under the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord.

The Business Case’s findings estimate a state-wide replacement to Twin 14 watt T5s would:
• cost $100 million over the next 4 years;
• deliver 1.7 million tonnes of emissions abatement to the year 2030;
• deliver $40 million of savings to the year 2030 to local government.

Download the final report for further details.

Download the Technical Report for information on the tests that were performed on lighting to establish maintenance charges for energy efficient street lights.

For more details contact Clayton Simpson of Banyule City Council.

Establishment of Public Lighting Taskforce
The Victorian Local Sustainability Advisory Committee (VSLAC) has asked the Secretary of the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE), Peter Harris, to convene a Public Lighting Taskforce to discuss options for progressing SPL. The group will include representatives from each of Victoria’s energy distribution businesses, local governments, the energy regulator and the Victorian Government. The Taskforce assesses the approval processes for new technologies, regulatory constraints, pricing models for new technologies, and sector relations. This work will inform an options paper to be prepared for the Minister for Environment and Climate Change by DSE at the end of 2008.

For more information on this and other sustainable public lighting activities in Victoria, see the Victorian Local Sustainability Accord Update No 8, April 2008.

Victorian Sustainable Public Lighting Action Group (VSPLAG)
VSPLAG formed in mid-2006 to facilitate the installation of energy efficient streetlighting. VSPLAG brings together the five Victorian Regional Alliances, their member councils, the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), Sustainability Victoria, the Essential Services Commission and the electricity distribution businesses across the state.

ICLEI Oceania, with support from the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, has prepared the following resource as part of a series of case studies that focus on sustainable public lighting regional action groups. It provides details of the group's governance, key activities, major outcomes and lessons learnt.
Case study - Regional Action on Sustainable Public Lighting - VSPLAG

VSPLAG's work has focused on the 2x14w and 2x24w T5 twin fluorescent and 42w compact fluorescent. Moreover, the group's work on standard inputs into OMR charges and technical performance of these lights has been referenced in a recent decision by the Australian Energy Regulator on OMR charges (see top of State Developments). For more information on this process see the VSPLAG committee's final report [PDF 2.4MG].

There are three steps that require completion before councils can use new lighting technologies. The following points describe these steps and the status of the lights that VSPLAG focused on:

1. The light must be added to the Victorian Load Table. This has been completed for both the T5 and 42W CFL.
2. Technical approval for the lights must be obtained from the distributor in the council area.  The T5 has been approved by all Victorian distributors and Citipower/Powercor have approved the 42w CLF, SP Ausnet has approved the 32w CFL and other distributors are yet to follow suit.
3. The pricing for the OMR costs of the light are tabled by each distributor and reviewed by the Australian Energy Regulator if necessary. The regulator has reviewed the charges for the 2x14w and 2x24w T5. The regulator has not reviewed the CFL but councils may still negotiate with individual distributors to use them.

Indicative financial details using the Pierlite T5 lights when compared to existing mercury vapour streetlights are estimated to be:

• About $20 to $25 energy savings per light annually, based on 68% energy efficiency
• Maintenance costs are likely to decrease by between $5 and $10 per light each year
• About $200 bulk installation cost per light for the light fitting.

For more information, email Paul Brown- VSPLAG Member and Managing Director Ironbark Sustainability.

Nillumbik Shire Council receives Sustainability Fund Grant to upgrade streetlights
In April 2008, the Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Gavin Jennings, announced that Council was successful in its application for over $500,000 to the Sustainability Fund to help Nillumbik Shire Council, Darebin City Council and Wodonga City Council upgrade 3,680 lights to the Pierlite 14W Greenstreet, generating greenhouse gas savings of 1,400 tonnes per year – or 28,000 tonnes over the 20 year life of the fittings!

Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan Guidelines
In 2004–05, ICLEI Oceania produced the Sustainable Public Lighting Action Plan (SPLAP) guidelines for local governments in Victoria with funding under the Sustainable Energy Authority’s Sustainable Public Lighting Initiative (SPLI). The guidelines were developed with a group of Victorian CCP Plus councils with considerable knowledge in sustainable public lighting, including Banyule City Council, City of Greater Bendigo, City of Greater Dandenong, Frankston City Council and City of Melbourne. The guidelines provide tools to develop strategies, policies and action plans.

Sustainable Public Lighting Initiative (SPLI)
The SPLI was launched in 2003 by Sustainability Victoria (formerly the Sustainable Energy Authority) as part of the Victorian Greenhouse Strategy commitment to develop and showcase sustainable energy in public lighting. More than 20 local councils, 10 residential developers, all Victorian electricity distribution businesses and other key groups were involved.

A key barrier to the widespread deployment of sustainable public lighting in Victoria was the lack of working examples of sustainable public lighting options. Sustainability Victoria, in collaboration with a number of partners, commenced demonstration projects to install more sustainable public lights during 2004 and 2005. An overview of the lighting technologies used in the projects along with answers to a number of different questions is given in the SPLI Technical Sheet.

A further 12 capacity building projects were pursued to improve the knowledge and understanding of sustainable public lighting by local government and other responsible agencies. Capacity building projects included the development and dissemination of information about best practice, cost-benefit analyses and design guidelines. 

Update September 2007: Results for the NAGA/AGL trials conducted as part of SPLI are now available. See the report prepared by Kevin Poulton and Ray Simms. As of May 2008, the results for the other trials are still being analysed.

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Lamps
Around 70 per cent of the lamps used in Victoria are mercury vapour (MV) lamps, of which most are 80W MVs. 80W MVs began to be routinely used in place of two 20W fluorescents in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This increased energy usage but improved amenity and maintenance.

Other lamps found in Victoria:

• High pressure sodium are used on most major roads and for lamps of 150 watts or more.
• Metal halide lamps are used mostly by the City of Melbourne, which has installed around 1500 metal halide lamps in the last two to three years. Metal halide lamps have also been used in floodlighting in the city for many years.
• Compact fluorescent lamps are used on most solar powered lights.
• LEDs are used along parts of the St Kilda foreshore.
• Thirty induction lamps were installed at South Bank in 2001.

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Sustainability Accord
The third round of Sustainability Accord funding is now open to Victorian councils. Applicants are required to submit an Expression of Interest form to Sustainability Victoria by 15 February 2008. The NAGA 2006-09 Public Lighting Action Program was funded via the Sustainability Accord during the previous round of funding.