Clinton Foundation Retrofits L.A. with LED Lighting

Last week the Clinton Foundation and the city of Los Angeles announced plans to retrofit 140,000 streetlamp fixtures with energy efficient LED (light-emitting diode) lights over a five-year period, Earth2Tech reported.  The plan is the most ambitious city-wide LED retrofitting project to date, hopefully setting an example for other major cities to follow.  The new lights are more reliable than typical streetlamps, last more than twice as long, emit a gentler glow anticipated to reduce light pollution ("The stars over Death Valley may again shine more brightly," the former president mused), will save the city millions on labor and energy costs, and will cut carbon emissions by an estimated 40,500 tons - the equivalent of taking 6,700 cars off the road - per year.

Until you consider the savings, the initial price tag of the program would appear daunting; the Clinton Foundation didn't provide a specific figure in their press release, so we did some math based on the data they provided and came up with an estimated $22 million.  True, LED's still require a good deal of initial investment compared to incandescent and compact fluorescent lights, which is why the Outdoor Lighting Program of the Clinton Climate Initiative stepped in with a loan.  Over a seven-year period, however, the city will save a total of $48 million as a result of the project; and will continue to save $10 million a year after that. That's a 3.2 year payback--strong economics by almost any measure. Which just goes to show that just about any step taken in the direction of increased energy efficiency, even one whose initial price tag looks steep, saves money.  It also highlights the under-appreciated fact that investing in energy efficient technology is more than just another green initiative; it is an effective way to cut costs and get more for your money in an economy that increasingly demands just that.

So this is good news.  What's better news is that you, without any help from a former president's global foundation, can make the same investment at home, with little risk and a high ROI.  If you're still reluctant to jump that hurdle, as many in Los Angeles certainly were, just look at the electric bill that comes every month.  The Department of Energy estimates that up to 25% of that bill goes toward lighting.  Replacing your incandescent bulbs would reduce that figure by about 75-80%, every month of every year for the next twenty or so years.  The savings add up.

LED lighting is up and operable in a variety of fixtures.  If you're still skeptical of the investment, you can still take a good dent out of your energy bill without sacrificing a fistful of dollars up front. Compact fluorescent lights (CFL's) are an inexpensive, efficient upgrade from incandescent lighting, despite the fact that they haven't been making the same headlines as LED's lately.  They use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, last around 10,000 hours, and run anywhere from $2-$5 - an investment that will have paid for itself, probably, by the time you finish that book you're reading.