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LED Street Lamps a Brilliant Idea, But Will Lack the Charm of Gas Lamps

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More than just the light of the future, LEDs are emerging in the here and now, and not just small markets either. New York City's Department of Transportation has contracted with the Office for Visual Interaction (OVI), a lighting design group, to test pilot LED street lighting. If the test goes well, it could lead to all 300,000 of NYC's street lamps being replaced with LED versions.

But it's not just the lamps that are getting overhauled, but the pole design as well. The OVI contract calls for a complete redesign, one which will like take on a sleek look with dedicated channels to hang various decorations.

The $1.175 million contract is expected to result in a payback period of two to three years for each pole replaced, along with a 25 to 30 percent power reduction. But the real savings will only come if the test proves successful. The initial demonstration will replace just six street lamps, with the testing period lasting until fall of next year.

Image Credit: Flickr gimmeahug

COMMENTS
avatarLED Heat

In my personal experience with Some LEDs - They do produce a decent amount of heat. I've singed myself a few times with my Streamlight LED.

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avatar If I hold a magnafing

 If I hold a magnafing glass under it and spin real fast, will I be able to read DVD's?

_______________________________

"There's no time like the future."

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avatarCold climate problems

I'll be interested is how this goes.  LED street lamps seem like a great idea, except where the winters include snow, wind, and temps south of 0.  I seem to remember a couple of small towns (in MN maybe?) that found that the lenses freeze over in snow storms.  The LEDs don't produce heat to melt the ice and snow, as the traditional lamps did. 

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avatarHmmm

Hmm... that is an interesting problem, one that we don't have down here in Texas. My guess would be to put a separate heating element in the lamps that only comes on when needed.

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