More energy efficient street lights planned for Cape Town

pic: Cape Town Daily Photo

In a major effort to save energy, the City of Cape Town has spent almost R5 million from its operating budget and R25 million from its capital budget over the past 18 months, replacing thousands of street lights across the Cape Metropole with energy-efficient lamps whilst a further R15 million is being spent in the current financial year.

In line with the City’s energy strategy, the Electricity Services Department is still busy rolling out an extensive programme to convert 180 000 of the older type of mercury vapour lamps previously used in street lighting, to the more environmentally-friendly high pressure sodium lamps,” says Alderman Clive Justus, Mayoral Committee Member for Utility Services.

“Not only will the new lamps reduce energy consumption by at least 12%, but they also provide more powerful illumination, thus enhancing traffic visibility on the roads and improving community safety in public open spaces,” he says.

Compared to the ‘white light’ emitted by the 80 watt mercury vapour lamps, the 70 watt high pressure sodium lamps emit a warm orange glow. In terms of the Kyoto Protocol, this also helps to diminish light pollution.

According to the City’s Acting Manager: Public Lighting, Brinley van der Schyff, 4 300 new energy-efficient lights are to be installed in the next three months in Portlands and Rockands, Soneike in Kuils River, Rontree Estate in Camps Bay, and in Green Point, Sea Point and Fresnaye. In the past four months some 2 500 new lamps were installed in various suburbs across the city.

“The conversion entails the removal of the older lamps and the installation of more energy efficient ones, which should last several times longer,” said Van Der Schyff.

The City has also received R4 million of external funding from the Department of Energy for energy-efficiency projects. This will be used for the replacement of luminaries and lamps along Jip de Jager and Frans Conradie Avenues in Bellville, Parow and Goodwood within the next few months.

“Last year, the City spent R20 million from its capital budget on upgrading and installing new street lighting, R5 million on installing high mast lighting across the Cape Metropole. R10 million is being spent on new street lighting projects and a further R5 Million on high mast lighting projects from this year’s capital budget,” Justus said.

“The Electricity Services Department is constantly on the lookout for innovative ways to save energy and its programme to convert all the remaining existing lamps in the city over the next five years will result in an estimated 12% saving of energy across the board,” says Alderman Justus.

The Public Lighting Section is also investigating new technologies such as solar power: wind generated street lights: light emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent technologies and will report back on these to the Utility Services Portfolio Committee, as soon as test sites have been monitored and the test results evaluated.