LED conversions could brighten town finances

ILLUMINATING THOUGHTS: George Sfinarolakis, energy policy and planning manager for the R.I. Office of Energy Resources, oversaw the conversion of streetlights to highly efficient LED fixtures for a state pilot project. / PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO
ILLUMINATING THOUGHTS: George Sfinarolakis, energy policy and planning manager for the R.I. Office of Energy Resources, oversaw the conversion of streetlights to highly efficient LED fixtures for a state pilot project. / PBN PHOTO/ MICHAEL SALERNO

Thousands of streetlights in Rhode Island could be converted to power-sipping LED fixtures, under a new incentive program and a state law that allows communities to acquire their lights.

The Ocean State has about 100,000 streetlights, most owned by National Grid. A state law approved in 2013 allows towns and cities to purchase the fixtures from the private utility, and then convert the older streetlights to modern Light Emitting Diode (LED) fixtures, which reduce energy consumption and cast a brighter light.

The conversion costs can be significant. Depending on the wattage of the fixture and the brand of the new LED, the per-light cost ranges from $350 to $600, according to a spokesman for the R.I. Office of Energy Resources.

National Grid provides an incentive for communities who switch to the more-efficient technology, based on the wattage saved per streetlight. And now the state has a program that will allow towns and cities that have purchased their lights to qualify for up to $105,000 in grants.

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The state has $525,000 available in grants this year, which will be made on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cities and towns that plan the retrofits can receive a 40-cent per watt reduction for the new fixtures, as well as $20 for each programmable dimmer control that is installed.

The dimmer technology allows communities to control when the lights are on, when they are “dimmed” and provides another level of energy efficiency, according to Marion Gold, commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources. The light is more satisfactory and uses less energy, she said.

The ability to control the amount of light provides an incentive, as well, she said. National Grid charges a rate based on how many lights are operating, she said, providing no incentive for lowered consumption. “They don’t have meters on streetlights,” she said.

The state incentive is made possible through Rhode Island’s share of regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative proceeds. Because LED fixtures have lower emissions, they qualify for the program.

The grants are intended to be used in combination with private incentives through National Grid, which offers a discount for reduced consumption afforded by the fixtures, according to Gold. The state hopes to facilitate the conversion of 10-15 percent of municipal streetlights, she said.

“It’s a great way to cut energy costs and help the environment,” Gold added.

The LED fixtures provide a reduction in energy cost of between 40-60 percent, she said, depending on what they replaced. “It does result in a significant savings.”

The technology has been available for streetlights for the past three years, she said. The state, which owns about 7,500 streetlights on its highways, recently completed the installation of a pilot area, to determine how much the technology saves over older lights. The pilot area, on Interstate 295 in Smithfield, had 154 fixtures replaced with LED technology. Based on the data since the conversion in December, the technology is expected to reduce the electrical cost by 65 percent.

Jeffery Broadhead, executive director of the Partnership for Rhode Island Streetlights Management, said many cities and towns are now investigating the purchase of their streetlights from National Grid. “Some are moving faster than others,” he said.

The cost to purchase the lights is not prohibitive, said Broadband, whose nonprofit partnership represents towns and cities that enter into collaborative maintenance agreements. Eight communities have already signed on, another 17 have signed letters of intent, he said. The partnership is a function of the Washington County Regional Planning Council.

The costs of conversion vary tremendously by town and city, depending on how many streetlights they have and how old they are. Without subsidies, Broadhead said, the conversion of town- or city-owned lights to LED technology would take five to eight years for communities to break-even, given the current savings on electrical consumption.

West Warwick, for example, has 2,915 streetlights. The town now pays $417,000 to National Grid for maintenance and power fees, Broadhead said, which is expected to drop to $231,000 annually under its PRISM partnership. The cost for the town to purchase its streetlights from National Grid is estimated at $22,851.

The state’s incentive, which caps the grant at $105,000 per community, will help smaller cities and towns where the inventory of streetlights is smaller, or less expensive to convert.

North Smithfield, for example, has 1,500 lights, while Providence has 17,000 fixtures, Broadhead said.

“It will make less of a difference in larger communities,” he said. •

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