Agenda item

This report provides a progress update regarding South Kesteven District Council’s planned upgrade of streetlights to LEDs.

The Cabinet Member for Waste Services and Climate Change introduced the report that updated the Committee on the number of lamps that had been upgraded to LED’s as at the end of October 2022.

571 lamps out of a total stock of just under 4000 were now energy efficient and had been fit with LED’s. The energy savings for the LED’s were typically around 70% from each individual lamp upgraded.

As a result of the upgrade, energy savings across the stock of lights was about 6% that had been recorded, which had an associated 14% reduction in carbon emissions.

It was noted that the electricity budget for streetlights for 2022/23 was originally set at £171,000. Due to the increase of utilities, this was forecast to be re-set at £289,000. This was due to the budgeted cost of streetlighting possibly increasing to £688,000 by 2023/24.

Based on the current utility cost projections, the estimated pay back on investment from upgrading all of the Council’s streetlights was 2.2 years.

Clarification was sought around the savings and period of time to pay back on investment.

One Member suggested the possibility of the Council exploring lunar resonant streetlighting in order to produce more savings.

Members discussed the physical and financial differences between the orange sodium lights and the white LED lights.

One Member queried as to whether different bulbs could be fitted into the streetlights or whether it is one bulb fits all.

The Sustainability and Climate Change Officer highlighted that the streetlights that had been upgraded to the program, were upgraded with a dimming profile. This meant they were dimmed between the hours of 00:00-5:00 to save energy.

In relation to replacing bulbs, 10% of the lights that the Council were responsible for required a wholescale replacement and the others were able to merely have a lamp replaced. This was dependant on a case-by-case basis. 

Members discussed that other types technology could be explored, for example, solar lighting or motion motion-sensor lights.

One Member noted that an area of Grantham was being trialled for motion-sensory lighting. It was queried as to whether the trial was still taking place, whether there were any cost savings involved and if any other areas were being considered for the trial of motion-sensor lights.

It was confirmed that Winchester Road in Grantham trialled motion-sensor lighting a few years ago. It was part of a pilot program that informed development of the tender pack for the wider project. The cost savings had previously been shared at a previous Committee meeting in December 2020.

Motion sensing was not included in the current tender of upgrades, however, dimming was included.

The Sustainability and Climate Change informed the Committee that the small number of motion-sensor lights were still in full working operation.

That the Committee:

1.    Notes the progress to date to upgrade the Council’s stock of streetlights to LED energy efficiency lighting.

2.    Agrees for officers to progress modelling options for the street light replacement programme and present this to the Committee at the next meeting.