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There is significant research and development into energy efficient lighting technologies and practices. The aim of this section is to give you a sense of where public lighting may be headed in the future. Note that, as yet, the technologies described below have not been widely tested or applied in Australia.
USA, emerging technology
The Lunar-Resonant Street light, currently in development by Civil Twilight Design Collective, who recently won Metropolis Magazine’s Next Generation Design Award.
The group has designed a lamp that contains a photo-cell sensitive enough to detect subtle changes in moonlight, a dimmer and an LED cluster. The lamp dims itself depending on how much light the moon is providing, saving energy and providing a consistent amount of light. The lamps claim to use 95% less power than regular street lights.
Solar LED Street Lights Installed in NSW
February 2008: Custom designed LED luminaires powered by solar panels have been installed at the Morning View subdivision in Quirindi, New South Wales. The developer, Independent Group Australia, approached Weidmuller Pty Ltd to design and manufacture the luminaires, which operate as stand alone units on purpose-designed poles. The project was supported by the Liverpool Plains Shire Council.
The street lights are the first Category P rated LED stand alone street lights to be used in a residential subdivision in Australia. The lights are said to produce zero carbon emissions, have a life expectancy of 50,000 hours and have self-cleaning solar panels. The poles and lights were installed in July 2007 and are said to be “working perfectly”. For more information about the poles, contact Vicpole. For more information about the luminaires, contact Weidmuller via 1800 739 988.
Fairfield City Council first to install Philips CosmoPolis lights
Fairfield City Council, New South Wales, has become the first council in Australia to install Philips CosmoPolis light globes. Council has installed seven lights so far, with plans to install a further twenty-eight in the near future. The lights were installed in the Thomas Ware Plaza as part of the Fairfield Town Centre Revitalisation Program.
The CosmoPolis lights are based on new generation ceramic metal halide lamps and purpose-built electronic gear. Fairfield City Council expects the CosmoPolis globes to result in energy savings of 150% compared with mercury vapour lights. Another advantage of the CosmoPolis light is that it may provide significant safety benefits to drivers and pedestrians.
Several other Australian councils have ordered the lights, including City of Cockburn, Western Australia; Frankston City Council, Victoria; Kingborough Council, Tasmania; Territory and Municipal Services, Australian Capital Territory; and Gold Coast City Council, Queensland.
The CosmoPolis can be used in most lighting applications including minor road lighting and parks and car parks. It is commonly used for major road lighting in Europe. One issue it is currently facing, however, is the lamp's length of life.
For more information about Fairfield City Council's project, see Fairfield receives a facelift! For more information about the CosmoPolis light, see Philips.
Lake Macquarie first to trial LED flood light
17 January 2008: Lake Macquarie City Council in New South Wales has installed an LED flood light, making it the first council in Australia to trial the new technology. The 80 watt LED flood light replaces a 250 watt globe, saving 170 watts of power. Another advantage of the LED light is that it has a life span of 50,000 hours, whereas the life span of the 250 watt globe is only 8,000 hours.
The council has calculated that the LED flood light could provide significant financial and greenhouse savings. It estimates that the electricity costs of the LED flood light will be about $28 per unit annually, compared with $96 per unit for the standard globe, and that the LED product will save council 10 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per unit.
The light's efficiency, light output and greenhouse gas emissions will be monitored during the trial, which will continue until March 2008. For more information, contact Rod Ingersoll on (02) 4921 0142.
Australian inventor designs LED street light
11 July 2007: Australian inventor Keith Higgins has developed a highly energy efficient street light based on LED technology. It is claimed that the new light uses 80% less power, has at least equivalent light strength (as measured in lux) and produces a broader spectrum light (400nm to 600nm lightwaves, or 4000-6000k ‘colour temperature’) which is easier on the human eye than many other streetlights. It is also claimed that the new lights run at lower temperatures than incandescent lights and fluorescent lights and have a life of 50,000 - 100,000 hours.
While Higgins' product is not yet commercially available, developments such as this indicate that LEDs may become a viable option for street lighting within the next 1-5 years. Higgins was featured on the ABC television show The New Inventors and is one of many Australian and international companies exploring the potential of LED lighting. For more information, contact Higgins directly via his website or email. For more information about LED applications overseas and in traffic lights, see the LED section.
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