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Coffs Harbour Energy Efficient Street Lighting Programme

Coffs Harbour City Council

ENERGY EFFICIENT STREET LIGHTING CASE STUDY

Context

In 2000 Coffs Harbour City Council began work, in collaboration with Country Energy, on the Coffs Harbour Energy Efficient Street Lighting Project. The aim of the street lighting project was to come up with a more sustainable way of providing street lighting which would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, be socially acceptable and cost effective.

The project plan was to overhaul the existing Coffs Harbour street lighting system and implement energy efficient street lighting throughout the council area. The project was undertaken with funding from the Coffs Harbour Environment Levy, contributions by Country Energy, and a grant from the then NSW Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA),

Statistics

Implementation

A preliminary audit of the City's 3,500 street lights, the bulk of which were mercury vapour, examined energy use and financial expenditure and identified potential for significant savings in both areas.

Following the audit, two trials of energy efficient low pressure and high pressure sodium street lighting were undertaken in residential areas in Coffs Harbour, Bray Street and Adelines Way. The trials were designed to assess the suitability and community acceptance of energy efficient lighting. Light (Lux) measurements were taken in the trial areas of existing 80W mercury vapour lighting, before and after cleaning, and then after replacement with 50W HPS.

The trial indicated that lighting levels increased with the lower wattage high pressure sodium (HPS) lights. When communities were asked for their views residents also showed greater preference for the HPS lights than the then existing 80W mercury vapour lamps.

Community Survey Of Lighting Preferences

A computer model was then developed to quantify financial and greenhouse gas savings achievable by the adoption of energy efficient street lighting. A comprehensive database of Council lighting, provided by Country Energy, included specific details of lamp description, tariff rates, electricity consumption and losses, mortality and lumen characteristics, and breakdown of capital, maintenance, ownership, and operating costs. This data was then matched to a second database with technical specifications for existing and alternative lighting types. The model considered issues including:

• individual tariff rates and line items;
• differing capital costs for each type of lamp, fitting and pole;
• ownership of lights, poles and fittings;
• lumen depreciation;
• lamp life and replacement regimes;
• financing terms; and
• allowance for unrecovered capital upon lamp on changeover.

Country Energy called for expressions of interest including pricing specifications from lighting suppliers and after adding this information to the computer model, Coffs Harbour identified the two most viable choices as:

1. Twin arc high pressure sodium lamps (HPS) for Category V (major roads) and Category P (minor roads) lighting, with higher quality luminaires and photoelectric cells.
2. T5 fluorescent lights with high quality luminaires with higher quality photoelectric cells in Category P areas and Twin Arc (HPS) in category V areas.

While the T5 has the greatest energy savings the HPS twin arc also had significant energy savings and similar cost savings were possible with both choices. The HPS had lower maintenance requirements. Taking into account issues such as proven reliability and future lamp upgrade pathways, Country Energy and Council decided upon HPS as the preferred alternative.

Benefits

Environment

Modelling showed that the changeover would achieve a 35% reduction in equivalent CO2 emissions from street lighting i.e. 650 tonnes per annum thus assisting Council in its goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2010.

Council also set down measures to require that energy efficient public lighting be designed and installed in all new subdivisions thus keeping emissions from public lighting as low as possible. Pole heights and maximising spacings between lights was identified as an important aspect of energy efficient

Quality

It was identified that proposed upgrade would yield higher illuminance levels, greater reliability as a result of the new luminaire design, with more reliable photoelectric cells and reduced lumen depreciation over time. This was at a time when the issue of colour rendition in regard to minor road lighting was just beginning to be recognised. The community survey revealed a high level of acceptance of the trialled lights.

Financial

• Financial modelling showed that cost savings of $691,000 could be achieved in the first 10 years and that Council would save around $90,0000 in the first year. Country Energy agreed to fund the $1.25 million changeover, and Council agreed to pay out Country Energy $400,000 for the undepreciated residual capital value of the existing lights. Council funding was through an internal loan from Council reserves which will be paid back, with interest, over 5 years, from savings in street lighting charges.
• Financial modelling was also undertaken to assess the most economic way to roll out the new street lights and a bulk roll out was seen as the most efficient. All Council lights were changed during period 2005 calender year.
• Council will be seeking to cash in the carbon savings which will accumulate as a result of this electricity demand side management project, by the creation and trading of NGACs under the NSW Greenhouse Abatement Scheme.

Australian Standard Compliance

During the course of the street lighting project, the Australian Standards for Category P lighting were amended to de-rate HPS lights by 25% as the pale yellow light emitted by these lamps is partially outside the range of human vision. Despite this de-rating, the higher lumen output, improved performance characteristics meant that lighting levels were satisfactory.

The luminaires chosen will allow for upgrade of Category P lamps as technologies such as compact fluorescent evolve, and lamp costs improve.

Council was awarded the 2002 Local Government and Shires Association Energy Efficiency Award for the scheme. The roll out of street lights across the City is completed, and has proven successful.

Contacts

Jeff Green
Environmental Services Manager
Coffs Harbour City Council
Locked Bag 155, Coffs Harbour
Email: jeff.green@chcc.nsw.gov.au
Web: www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 66484199
Fax: 02 66484655