Progress in LED outdoor lighting energy costs

April 8, 2010
Progress Energy, a utility, will host a workshop next week to discuss the intricacies of LED outdoor lighting.
Next week, Progress Energy will host and present an "LED Utility Outdoor Lighting Workshop" sponsored by the Raleigh Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). Progress recently joined PG&E to become one of the first utilities to recognize that it costs less to operate LED outdoor lighting and most importantly, the very first to actually set a specific rate for LED installations. PG&E was instrumental in developing a rebate-based incentive for LED installations.

The program on Wednesday April 14 will discuss LED efficiency; truth or myth and how does it work? Foremost, Bob Henderson of Progress Energy and workshop lead instructor and presenter will discuss how to design an LED utility rate, change-out policy and associated support documentation. He will also outline a required LED utility hardware specifications checklist, LED health and color preference issues, as related to the International Dark-Sky Association and heat, calculations, photometrics and warranty requirements.

At the DOE R&D Workshop in Raleigh, NC in February, an opinion statement was read out from Mark Rea (Lighting Research Centre at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), with respect to the use of lower color temperatures, a position that Progress has also adopted in the implementation and installation of LED in outdoor spaces. Henderson will also discuss Utility Commission expectations.

Over the past fifteen months, Progress Energy Carolinas (PEC) has been engaged in the investigation, testing, planning, development, approval (company and regulators), and training/roll-out of LED leased lighting. This workshop, sponsored by the Raleigh Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) will take you “behind the scenes” where PEC and other personnel will share their challenges, barriers to entry, solutions and more. The topics include: an out-of-the box rate concept, change-out policies, LED specifications, luminaires selected for the introduction and more. It is hoped that the sharing of this information will “ease the pain” and provide ideas and assistance for other utilities that may be interested in adding LED lighting to their utility area and street light offerings.

Bob has 30 years of lighting design and application experience. He has earned four IESNA design awards for indoor and outdoor lighting. Past projects include the relighting of the North Carolina State Capitol, NC Governor’s Press Room and the WRAL-TV Newsroom. Bob is the past principal instructor of CP&L’s Lighting Lab & Seminars and is currently serving as Chair of the LC Test Committee for National Council for the Qualifications of Lighting Professionals (NCQLP). Bob is employed by Progress Energy as a Technical Lighting Consultant.

The event takes place on April 14th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Progress Energy W. Raleigh Operations Center in Raleigh, NC.

It is next week and space is limited but if you can’t attend in person, the event is available by webinar as well. The workshop also qualifies for CEU credits for Engineers, Architects and LC designation.

Personnel with investor-owned utilities, municipal street light systems, Electric Co-ops, DOTs, Utility Commissions, roadway lighting designers should consider attending or participating online. Outdoor LED lighting manufacturers are invited to display tabletop exhibits during networking lunch for all onsite attendees.

For further information and to register, visit www.iesraleigh.org/seminarevents.htm.

This is a must attend event to see how Progress has made it happen!