City tries to cut energy bills with LEDs

Raleigh, N.C., wants to become LED City. The city is conducting experiments to see if it can cut energy consumption and maintenance costs by replacing conventional public light fixtures with ones based around light-emitting diodes. In December, Raleigh - in conjunction with LED manufacturer Cree - replaced high-pressure sodium lights in a downtown parking garage with LED lights. Although the LED lamps cost substantially more than regular sodium lamps, they require less electricity and need to be replaced far less often. "We are saving over 40% of the energy we would otherwise use," said Mayor Charles Meeker. "And the quality is better. With sodium lights, you get bugs in the cover, and the light is kind of yellowish."

If all seven municipal parking lots in the city were retrofitted, it could save the city $100,000 a year in energy consumption and decreased maintenance. The lights in stadiums, gyms, schools, parks and other public venues could be next. If successful, the experiment could ultimately serve as a showcase for something several LED manufacturers are angling to accomplish: maneuvering LEDs into the commercial and residential lighting market.

Approximately 22% of the electricity consumed in the United States goes toward lighting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. LEDs can last 75,000 hours or longer and consume far less power than standard incandescent bulbs. Only about 5% of the energy that goes into conventional bulbs actually turns into light; the rest gets dissipated as heat.

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