Baw Baw Shire Council makes the switch to LED street lighting

Published on 29 April 2021

New LED streetlights in towns throughout Baw Baw Shire will reduce Council’s power bills for years to come and save approximately 365 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per annum.

Council secured $575,027 in funding for the project through the Australian Government’s $500 million Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, which supports Councils and communities to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This project is the second stage of LED lighting upgrades in Baw Baw Shire and has replaced 1,100 existing high-pressure sodium vapour, compact fluorescent, Twin T5 and high wattage mercury vapour lights on Council owned streets and roads.

The new LED lights perform better, last longer and are between 38 per cent and 78 per cent more efficient than the old lights, depending on their wattage.

This project is expected to drastically reduce street lighting energy use and costs - with approximately $1.9 million in energy and capital costs expected to be saved by Council over the 20-year lifetime of the asset.

The project will reduce street lighting greenhouse gas emissions by around 5,679 tonnes over a span of 20 years. This is equivalent to removing almost 1,321 cars from the road over one year.

Residents will notice that the new lights are similar in brightness to the old lights, with a more even spread of light. Visibility will be improved, and colours will look more natural with less glare.

The changeover works are nearing completion with works expected to be completed next month.

Quotes attributable to Mayor Cr Danny Goss “This project is a great outcome for Council and will deliver ongoing savings to our community throughout the lifetime of the new LED lights. Council is grateful for the support of the Australian Government to make this innovative project possible and we look forward to seeing the changes in our annual power consumption.”

Quotes attributable to Environment Voice Advisory Committee representative Cr Peter Kostos “Upgrading all of Council’s streetlights to LEDs was originally initiated by former Councillor Tony Wolfe a number years ago. It’s fantastic to see the results of his vision delivered in towns throughout the Shire, offering significant environmental and economic benefits to our community.”