The plan is expected to Jose LED lamp energy saving 40%

How much do you think a city's street lighting costs a year? San Jose, California is the 10th largest city in the United States, which costs about $3 million 500 thousand a year. If the maintenance and replacement of street lamps, the cost will be much higher.

Street lamp system is old and wasteful, can not predict potential failure, it is too late to find. Sometimes, when lighting lamp is not open, waste a lot of energy; a little bird droppings fell into the light sensor, the system will be a problem.

San Jose faces another problem. In 80s, the city used low pressure sodium lamp mercury lamp to replace the low energy efficiency, will save energy, on the other hand can reduce light pollution, contribute to the nearby Lick Observatory (LickObservatory for astronomical research. Director Jose Traffic Management Bureau Jim Heimo (JimHelmer) said: "at that time, the city of San Jose's leaders think this is wise, the total benefits include: the sky is dark, astronomical research has been improved, more energy saving, but also prolong lamp life." However, there is still a problem: the sodium lamp light is yellow - cars, fences and traffic lights will be the color of the distortion, often confused the driver, but also affect the effect of traffic cameras.

The San Jose City "green vision" (GreenVision) project for 15 years, the goal is to reduce the per capita energy consumption by half, and to achieve all the energy from renewable energy. As part of the project, the city will launch a pilot project this week will be more intelligent, more energy-efficient LED bulbs, and through the intelligent network to monitor the street light.

The pilot project is scheduled to start this summer, local smart Power Grid Corp Eschlan (Echelon) will be responsible for installing 125 LED street lights. Eschlan is well known for its smart meters, which are essentially a thermostat that delivers real-time energy use to consumers and suppliers - a number of European cities have already used the device.

Street network and smart grid operation similar. Through the city's wireless network (Wi-Fi), the echelon network technology enables real-time data transmission light, inform people of each lamp status and working condition. In this way, maintenance personnel do not have to search for broken bulbs. If the city does not have a wireless network, but also through the use of wire transmission technology Echelon Corporation. )

In this way, the city can monitor energy consumption, predict power outages and dimming lights, by controlling the total switch can easily save energy.

Eschlan, vice president in charge of business development, (JeffLund), said: LED lamp energy consumption has been relatively low. By incorporating it into the network, people can perform intelligent operations." The lights will light up at the end of the game or when the bar is closed. Late at night, the lights can be dimmed. If there is an emergency, you can also make the lights start flashing and guide people to the right place.

The city is also funding the federal stimulus package for the project. If you get money, the city government will transform the total number of lights for the 65000 street lights. Municipal officials predict that this will reduce energy consumption by 40%. Two cities have been introduced into the entire smart street network has achieved the above objectives. According to the Echelon Corporation, the city of Milton Keynes, energy consumption reduced by 40%, and Norway 250 thousand Oslo City streetlights to reduce operating costs by 60%. All of Oslo's street lights use water and electricity, and if the city uses fossil fuels to generate electricity, then 60% of the cuts would be equivalent to an annual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of greenhouse gases by up to 1440 tonnes.

Now with the decline in tax revenue, the United States has been looking for ways to reduce the budget, in this context, the San Jose pilot projects will be closely watched. Echelon Corporation has been conducted in San Francisco and Anchorage concept verification demonstration, there will certainly be more cities to join the ranks. Lund said: street lamp energy consumption is a major city operating costs. The key is to reduce costs and improve quality."