THE RIO+20 UN (United Nations) Global Compact Corporate Sustainability Forum has released the results of an independent global trial regarding LED (light-emitting diode) street lighting in 12 of the world’s largest cities. The results show the lighting can generate energy savings as high as 85%. This is powerful information, given that today cities consume 70% of the world’s energy supply, a figure that will only increase over time. Lighting accounts for 19% of the world’s electricity consumption.

Significant savings are possible simply by switching to energy-efficient lighting technologies such as LED. On a global level these savings could amount to €128 billion in reduced electricity cost, 670 million tons of carbon dioxide, or the equivalent of 642 power plants. Doubling lighting efficiency globally would have a climate impact equivalent to eliminating half the emissions of all electricity and heat production in the European Union and, like many other energy-efficient technologies, efficient lighting will boost global prosperity. The programme also indicates that citizens of pilot cities prefer LED lighting, citing its social and environmental benefits.

The findings of LightSavers, an independent, two-and-a-half-year global pilot of LED lamps in 15 separate trials across 12 cities including New York, London, Kolkata and Sydney, are presented for the first time in a new report entitled, Lighting the Clean Revolution: The Rise of LED Street Lighting and What it Means for Cities. The report explores the global market status and potential for LED technology and provides guidelines for policymakers and city light managers who want to scale-up and finance large LED retrofits.

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