Capital District Cities Are Switching To LED Streetlights, But Are They Better?

Everyone knows that switching to LED bulbs in your home can save you money on your electric bill. Sure they cost a little more, but they last longer, use less electricity and put off less heat than a traditional incandescent light bulb. So, wouldn't it make sense that a city could do that same thing with their streetlights?

The short answer is yes. According to an article in The Times Union Colonie has switched about 3.5 miles of Central Avenue from traditional high pressure sodium street lights with different kinds of LEDs. The switch took place back in February to see what a difference it would make on energy consumption and overall lighting of the area. The results are encouraging. They used 30-40% less energy and put out 40% more light.

So where's the catch, there's always a catch right? Well, there is....kinda. The LED streetlights are more expensive so the initial investment to convert to LED's could be cost prohibitive for some towns. The good news is that cities can recoup the cost of the LED lamps in two to five years. Overall it sounds like a good investment in the long run.

So next time your cruising down Central Avenue in Colonie see if you notice a difference in the streetlights and look for more of them coming to more streets around the Capital Region.