A year-long pilot project that will assess the benefits of light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights officially got underway in Innisfail last week.
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Luke Ouellette, Innisfail Mayor Jim Romane, CAO Helen Dietz and FortisAlberta officials Joelle Lamontagne and Stan Orlesky were on hand Sept. 7 as some of the first LED streetlights were installed in the Centennial Park parking lot.
About 100 of the lights will be installed by Sept. 9, replacing high pressure sodium (HPS) lights in an area that includes 50 Street west of 52 Avenue; on 60 Avenue between 50 Street and 44 Street Close; and in a subdivision that includes 55 Avenue Crescent, 57 Avenue, 44 Street, 56 Avenue Close, 54A Avenue Crescent, 54A Avenue Close, 44A Street Close, 45 Street, 56 Avenue, 57 Avenue and 43 Street.
Officially known as the LED Streetlight Community Assessment project, the program is a joint initiative between FortisAlberta and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA).
A 2008 AUMA report, “Urban Municipal Action on Climate Change Environmental Scan,” recommended the use of alternative outdoor lighting to reduce energy consumption. FortisAlberta then conducted a year-long study examining a number of different LED streetlights. After the company found a suitable option, it selected three “geographically diverse” Alberta communities to take part in the study. In addition to Innisfail, the communities of Okotoks and Stony Plain were selected.
Joelle Lamontagne, FortisAlberta’s project manager – energy efficiency, said the company chose the locations because they provided a mix of high-traffic and residential areas. Potential benefits of the new lights include a reduction in energy consumption and greenhouse gases, and reduced maintenance costs, she added.
“It is more efficient,” she said. “It is providing the same lighting levels as the old hyper sodium lights … the light that you’re getting will be the same except it’s going to use less energy and cause less light pollution.”
Ouellette said he was hopeful the new technology would help citizens save money on their power bills.
“I think with all the technologies that have come on so strong it’s time that we have better technologies for our power sector and energy sector also,” he said after climbing into a Fortis bucket truck with Romane to take a closer look at one of the lights.
Romane said he was excited about the possibilities and cautioned residents to take some time to learn about the new lights and appreciate their benefits before casting judgement.
“It’s going to be a change. People are going to notice a difference no doubt. There’s less light pollution spreading out from them – they’re more of a directional type light,” he said. “It’s still effective and it does the job.”
FortisAlberta is covering the cost of the study, which is scheduled to conclude on Dec. 31, 2012. Lamontagne said the results will then be brought back to Innisfail town council by March 31, 2013.
Lamontagne said two banks of meters have been installed to measure the energy consumption of the new LED lights versus the older HPS lights.
Residents can have their say on the new lights by completing an online survey by Oct. 1, Lamontagne said. The survey is available on the town’s website, www.townofinnisfail.com.
“Before we can deploy (the LED lights) throughout our entire service territory we want to be sure that they actually do work, they provide the right kind of light and, more importantly, that customers like them.”
