Summary
The City of Philadelphia, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Energy Authority (PEA) and Ameresco, launched the Philly Streetlight Improvement Project, their largest energy conservation initiative, aiming to replace and connect approximately 130,000 streetlights with more efficient LED lights. The project is expected to cut streetlight energy consumption by over 50%, reducing carbon emissions by more than 9%, and will be cost-neutral over the 20-year financing period due to energy savings and efficiency rebates.
“LED streetlights will enhance the quality of life for all Philadelphians by providing better, more reliable lighting. It will also help us advance toward our city’s goals for Vision Zero, by providing better visibility to reduce traffic crashes, as well as ensure our continued progress toward meeting our 2030 energy and climate goals.”
– Jim Kenney,
Former Mayor of Philadelphia
9.00%
Municipal CO2 Reductions
50.00%
Energy Consumption Reduction
130,000
Streetlights Converted to LED Network
$91,200,000
Energy Project Size
Customer Benefits
In addition to the environmental benefits, energy savings, public safety enhancements and robust community engagement, the project is also expected to achieve 58 percent minority- and women-owned participation. Through local workforce development, Philadelphians had the opportunity to work on field audits and the assembly of fixtures. Other benefits of the project include:
- Cost-neutral over the 20-year financing period due to energy savings and efficiency rebates
- Streetlight energy consumption reduction by over 50%
- Public safety support by improving nighttime visibility for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists
Solution
The upgraded LED luminaires are designed to be fully controllable through remote monitoring on a secure network known as a Lighting Management System (LMS), providing the City instantaneous updates on outages and the ability to dim and brighten fixtures. The project will prioritize LED installation in neighborhoods where public safety needs are highest. The citywide design reflects a data-driven approach that incorporated community feedback received from surveys taken across 15 trial installations.
- Fixtures are designed to have a warm color temperature, a diffused lens for enhanced visual comfort, and “boosted” lumen outputs in priority installation areas
- Conversion of approximately 130,000 streetlights into a network of more efficient, longer-lasting, remotely-controlled light emitting diode (LED) lights
