HG&E owns and maintains over 4,000 streetlights within the City of Holyoke. Between 2011 and 2014, HG&E converted all of its streetlights to light-emitting diode (LED) technology.
Previously, all of HG&E’s streetlights operated using high pressure sodium (HPS) bulbs, which have been surpassed by LED technology in terms of energy efficiency, lighting uniformity and useful life. In fact, this streetlight conversion has resulted in an energy savings of approximately 60%, resulting in over $100,000 in City lighting costs saved per year.
Prior to full scale implementation of lights, HG&E tested multiple LED lights from various manufacturers using a light output meter at ground level in the field to ensure lighting quality. Results for all LED lights tested, regardless of the manufacturer, proved that LED lights produce a whiter, brighter light that illuminates roadways substantially better than HPS lights, thus improving visibility and safety while simultaneously minimizing light pollution through their cutoff style. The LED fixtures also cost less to maintain because they have a life expectancy exceeding 50,000 hours, which is over three times longer than the previous HPS fixtures.
In 2011, HG&E received a $168,000 grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER), through the Green Communities Program, to support the LED conversion, which had a total cost of approximately $1.5 million. Total energy savings through this conversion are equivalent to the annual output from a 2 MW solar facility. Learn more about HG&E’s solar initiatives.
For additional information on HG&E’s LED streetlight conversion project, contact us!