LEDs cut BBMP power bill
The Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Ltd (KREDL) replaced 110 sodium vapour bulbs on the flyover at Richmond Circle in Bangalore with LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) a month ago.
This has minimised monthly electricity bill of the BBMP by Rs 23,776. In a year, the total savings will be Rs 2.85 lakh.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency, based in Delhi, had taken up the project on a pilot basis in association with the Karnataka Renewable Energy Development Limited in Bangalore.
The total money spent on the project is Rs 14 lakh.
The 110 sodium vapour lamps, each with capacity of 250 watts, had been replaced by LEDs of 79 watts. As a result consumption of energy has come down drastically. In a yea,r the LEDs will be consume 75,357 kWh (1 kWh - amount of power consumed in one hour) of power lesser than the sodium vapour bulbs.
LEDs are based on semiconductor diode. When electricity is supplied the energy is released in the form of photons. Unlike in sodium vapour or mercury vapour bulbs, energy is not wasted in generating heat.
KREDL Managing Director H G Shivanandamurthy said the power sector had been the major contributor to carbon emissions in the globe. Use of advanced energy efficient equipment would reduce the emissions. He said that 40 per cent of power generated in the State is being consumed by Bangaloreans. If the hotels, colleges, institutes, hospitals shifted to energy efficient LEDs, a good quantity of power could be saved. LEDs suitable for domestic lighting are also available in the market.
In parks
The agency has also taken up replacement of mercury vapour lamps in JP Park and Hanumanthanagar park at a cost of Rs. 5.58 lakh, replacing the 133 mercury vapour lamps of 125 watts with LEDs of 30 watts. Energy consumption would be reduced by 22,719 kWh per year and cut the power bill Rs 1.36 lakh a year.
Similarly in case of Hanumanthanagar park 125 mercury vapour bulbs will be replaced by LED bulbs and the agency has already floated tenders for bulbs.
KREDL is also working on a proposal to convert street lights in select cities in the State into solar lights. In the first phase five cities - Shimoga, Hubli-Dharwad, Mysore, Mangalore and Belgaum will be taken up for the project.
KREDL special officer B Ramesh said the local body of these cities would be involved in the project. The Centre would offer financial assistance for the project, he said.
