Queensland's Energy Efficiency Public Lighting Working Group

Project planning and relationship building
The group was convened as a result of advocacy by participating councils to raise the profile of sustainable public lighting through the Council of Mayors of South East Queensland (COMSEQ). COMSEQ approached the Queensland Department of Mines and Energy (DME) and the distribution business ENERGEX to collaborate on progressing sustainable public lighting, resulting in the formation of the Energy Efficiency Public Lighting Working Group (E2PLWG).

The work of the E2PLWG aims to trial newer lighting technologies in four climatic zones. Uncertainty about the performance of these new lamp technologies in sometimes-extreme ‘real world’ conditions has delayed widespread uptake to date.

The group identified a lack of transparent cost and performance data for lighting technologies as a key barrier. The trial has therefore focused on addressing this data deficiency by closely monitoring lighting performance levels under various climatic and electrical supply conditions.

E2PLWG’s technical working group developed the parameters for the trial and the scope and process for data collection.  Throughout this process group members recognised the importance of prioritising the assessment of technologies with a long lamp life as well as energy efficiency characteristics. This allows councils to not only reduce the energy used and associated costs but also reduce the operation and maintenance costs through the total life-cycle of the technology.  An expression of interest process was used to determine a range of suitable public lighting technologies for the trial.  

E2PLWG’s financial working group calculated the costs of the trials during the initial scoping phase, allowing sufficient time for councils to include the project in their budget cycle.  A Memorandum of Understanding was drafted and signed by the CEOs of all participating councils, ENERGEX and DME, ensuring the political buy-in and commitment of funding from each of the stakeholders.

Trials
The sustainable public lighting trial is active in 13 locations across south-east Queensland, using 300 individual lights and four technologies — 26 and 32 watt compact fluorescent lamps, 2x14 watt T5s, 35 watt Metal Halides and white LEDs.  The three year trial started in May 2008.

Some off-the-shelf lighting technologies chosen by the group required minor redesign to meet national guidelines for public lighting and the technical requirements of stakeholders. The member structure of E2PLWG, which includes an independent lighting expert, the distribution business, councils (with technical design expertise) and the state regulator, allowed this to occur efficiently, with all stakeholders' requirements being considered.

Through an intensive research and development process, a custom designed data collection unit was developed to enable monitoring of the large selection of luminaires at each of the trial sites. The data, not available prior to use of this unit, is recorded in situ, and includes:
•    Ambient site temperature
•    Ambient site relative humidity
•    Illuminance from luminaire at the cover/ diffuser/ bowl of the luminaire
•    Pole vibration (frequency/ amplitude)
•    Mains voltage supply
•    Voltage surges (frequency - from lightning strikes or transmission line clashes)
•    Current supply to luminaire

The monitoring and resulting data will help to explain why lamps fail and how they perform throughout their life.  A central database is being used to hold the information downloaded from the data collection units and group members plan to collate and present the data in a format useful to other Australian councils as the trial nears completion.

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Report on project scope
The group produced the report Street Lighting in South East Queensland: Opportunities for Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings, to outline the objectives of the trial. The report provides the project framework, opportunities for energy and financial savings, and an overview of the regulatory arrangements for public lighting in Queensland.

New relationships and initiatives
A key outcome of the trial so far is the cooperative relationships that have been built between members of the working group. In particular, Brisbane City Council has established a better understanding of ENERGEX’s network priorities and continues to work with the business on other energy efficiency projects.

Development of custom designed data collection unit for public lighting
The particular requirements of this group meant that an off-the-shelf data collection unit was not suitable for use in the trial. Consequently, the group worked with the manufacturer of the unit, and dedicated a substantial proportion of the project budget, to research and develop a custom designed unit, which the manufacturer is intending to make available to all councils.

The distribution business Ergon Energy will use the new data collection units on another similar regional trial, commencing in June 2009. The data gathered from this trial will form a broader picture of the operation of public lighting in Queensland and complement the outcomes of the E2PLWG trial.

Generation of credible data on sustainable public lighting The collection of data from each public light involved in the trial has been successful to date and final data will be made available to other councils around Queensland and Australia. E2PLWG will use the data in cost-benefit analysis prior to anticipated bulk change-overs of public lighting.    

Collaborative efforts, shared results
Past attempts by the participating councils to individually progress sustainable public lighting had not been successful. A regional approach has meant communication is streamlined, ideas and resources can be shared and key stakeholders have prioritised their involvement. Regular group meetings with well-documented minutes have helped maintain project momentum.

Gain and maintain the right level of stakeholder engagement
The high-level of political support for this project has encouraged wide stakeholder involvement.  The project was conceived as a result of communications between local councils, the Minister for Mines and Energy and the identification of sustainable public lighting as a priority by the Council of Mayors of South East Queensland. This in turn encouraged the participation of non-council stakeholders, such as Energex and DEWHA.

The challenges addressed by E2PLWG during this project demonstrate the effectiveness of working within a regional group that engages multiple stakeholders with high levels of skill and enthusiasm. Documentation of decisions and processes throughout the project has ensured technical and procedural information is retained by participating organisations in the event of staff turnover.

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For more information about this regional group or their work contact:

• Joanne Hamer, Senior Policy Officer - Climate Change, Brisbane City Council, joanne.hamer@brisbane.qld.gov.au, (07) 3403 9161

• Vanessa Swinson, Program Officer - Sustainability, Brisbane City Council, vanessa.swinson@brisbane.qld.gov.au, (07) 3403 9161

• Department of Mines and Energy (Office of Clean Energy) website for trial information and relevant contacts www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au/office_clean_energy.cfm

Resources
Other resources used or developed by the group are:

• E2PLWG, 2006, Street Lighting in South East Queensland: Opportunities for Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings

• Brown P, 2007, Sustainable Public Lighting: The current state of play and future developments, Electrical Engineering Society, August 2007 
  

• Department of Mines and Energy, 2008, Queensland Energy Efficient Street Lighting Trial: Project Overview  

ICLEI Oceania would like to expressly thank John Mabb of the Gold Coast City Council, Joanne Hamer of the Brisbane City Council, Mick Fullelove, formerly of the Sunshine Coast Council and Brooke Walters of the Queensland Government Office of Clean Energy for their contributions in the preparation of this case study.

The Queensland Case Study (E2PLWG) can also be downloaded in [word 136 KB]

The production of these materials was funded by the Australian Government for use by local governments which were part of the Cities for Climate Protection Australia Milestone Support Program that ended on 30 June 2009. Please note that ICLEI Oceania Program and Project support, the Greenhouse Gas Application (GGA) and milestone recognition is no longer available.

Copyright 2009. Reproduction requires the written permission of the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Environment, Heritage, Water and the Arts.