Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation is testing the effectiveness of outdoor lighting fixtures using light emitting diodes (LED). Two demonstration projects are underway, the first an outdoor area lighting application on the campus of Bard College located at Annandale-on-Hudson, Dutchess County, and the second a street lighting installation in the Town of New Windsor, Orange County.

“These projects will help determine the costs and benefits of LED fixtures in outdoor lighting applications,” said Charles A. Freni, Senior Vice President of Customer Services at Central Hudson. “Although LED fixtures are more expensive than conventional lighting fixtures, they use less energy and last longer, potentially saving natural resources, protecting the environment and reducing operating costs. By monitoring the use of these high-efficiency lights we expect to determine the cost-effectiveness and operational qualities of LED fixtures in real-world applications.”
LED Area lighting – Bard College

Central Hudson, Bard College and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) are demonstrating high-efficiency outdoor LED lighting at a parking area on the college’s campus. Ten outdoor LED lighting fixtures have replaced metal-halide lamps, each expected to reduce energy use by about one-third and together save more than 3,000 kilowatt-hours. At the conclusion of the research project, Bard College will retain use of the LED fixtures.

“We are extremely pleased to have been chosen for this pilot program with Central Hudson and (EPRI),” said Laurie Husted, Bard’s Environmental Resources auditor. “The project has been in the works for many months - the deliberative process that included performance testing and field measurements will give us a clear sense of the quality, costs, and benefits of LED lighting. We believe that this pilot project will demonstrate the viability of LED lighting and that Bard can use it going forward to both improve the quality of parking lot lighting and reduce our electricity use and associated greenhouse gas emissions.”

Funding and selection of the LED fixtures, manufactured by Philips, were provided through the EPRI Energy Efficiency Demonstration Program. EPRI is an independent, non-profit company performing research, development and demonstration in the electricity sector. Participating utilities nationwide, including Central Hudson, help fund research projects through their membership. Bard College and Central Hudson were selected as program participants as part of a nationwide demonstration of LED fixtures.

LED Street Lighting – Town of New Windsor

Six LED street lights are being tested in the Town of New Windsor through a Central Hudson research and development program. The LED fixtures replace six high-pressure sodium lamps on Erie Avenue and are expected reduce energy use by approximately one-half, saving a projected 1,800 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The fixtures were manufactured through a partnership with Fala Technologies of Kingston, N.Y. and Greenhouse Strategies of Rockville Center, N.Y.

For more information on EPRI’s Energy Efficiency Demonstration program, visit www.EPRI.com; and for more on LED street lighting, visit www.FalaTech.com and ww.GreenhouseEnterprise.com.

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	Street and parking light fixtures utilizing Light Emitting Diodes (LED) differ in design from conventional fixtures by use of multiple light sources, each fitted with individual lenses that direct the light beams to form an illumination pattern. LED fixtures are more expensive than conventional lights, but use less energy.
	Ten outdoor LED lighting fixtures (one shown in foreground) have replaced existing metal-halide lamps at Bard College, each expected to reduce energy use by about one-third and together save more than 3,000 kilowatt-hours per year while providing superior lighting. The lights were installed at a parking area adjacent to Robbins House on the Bard College campus.
	Six LED street lights are being tested in the Town of New Windsor through a Central Hudson research and development program. The LED fixtures replace six high-pressure sodium lamps on Erie Avenue and are expected reduce energy use by approximately one-half, saving a projected 1,800 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. The fixtures were manufactured through a partnership with Fala Technologies of Kingston, N.Y. and Greenhouse Strategies of Rockville Center, N.Y.