What can save $260,000 annually with the flip of a switch? LEDway street lights, 3,643 of them to be exact, located in the city of Asheville are providing these savings.
The LEDway lights are being manufactured by Cree, Inc. of Durham, N.C.
Ashvelle anticipates saving 50% of current energy use and maintenance costs due to the LED upgrade.
"Upgrading to LED street lights allows us to decrease energy consumption, increase energy efficiency and contribute to the sustainability of our community," said Maggie Ullman, energy coordinator for the Asheville Office of Sustainability.
In 2009, Asheville City Council unanimously approved using Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to fund efficiency initiatives, including the first phase of the street light replacement. The revolving fund rolls energy savings back into the city's green and efficiency initiatives.
