City of Ann Arbor converting more streetlights to LED

A look at some Ann Arbor streetlights that have been converted to LEDs in front of a downtown restaurant sign.

The City of Ann Arbor is converting more city streetlights to light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, in the next year after seeing at least $10,000 in energy savings in 2009 from using the lights.

City Energy Programs Manager Andrew Brix said he estimates the city saved an additional $40,000 in maintenance costs last year from having LED lights instead of incandescent street lights.

In all, the city owns about 2,000 streetlights and has about 800 additional streetlights it expects to switch over by the end of 2011. The changeover is being funded by a $1.2 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

There are about 7,000 streetlights throughout the city, including about 5,000 lights owned by DTE Energy, with energy costs paid by the city. The city energy office is evaluating whether it would save money in energy costs by purchasing those lights and installing the LED street lights.

In 2009, the energy office said it was able to save the city $153,000 in energy costs from streetlight and traffic light energy savings, as well as savings in natural gas costs from locking in prices earlier in the year.

Tina Reed covers health and the environment for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her at tinareed@annarbor.com, call her at 734-623-2535 or find her on Twitter @TreedinAA.