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    Schréder and Osram test LED street lights in Fürth

    Aug. 17, 2009
    A test installation in the German town of Fürth will evaluate the capabilities of Schréder LED street lights containing Osram LEDs.
    Content Dam Leds En Articles 2009 08 Schr Der And Osram Test Led Street Lights In F Rth Leftcolumn Article Thumbnailimage File
    LED street lighting is being evaluated in Fürth near Nuremberg, Germany. infra fürth GmbH, the city’s traffic and energy supply company, has set up an LED test unit on the road to the airport to provide performance data.
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    The six fixtures were supplied by luminaire manufacturer Schréder, and contain LEDs from Osram. The result of this practical test will help in deciding whether to use more LED luminaires in the Franconian town.

    The P186 Schréder lamps contain a total of 96 Osram Golden Dragon Plus LEDs with an output of 1.2 watts each, which are shared by two lamp sections. These have been mounted at a light spot height of eight metres.

    The specific design of the LED luminaires looks different than conventional ones even during the day. At night, when the LEDs are illuminated, the difference from familiar streetlights becomes even clearer.

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    According to Osram, the test luminaires have an efficiency of around 75 lumens per watt, which is comparable to a conventional street light. Because of the directional characteristics of the LEDs, in combination with special lenses, there is less stray light than with discharge lamps.

    In addition, the white light from the LED luminaires is perceived as “far more luminous than normal street lights,” says Osram.

    The availability of different LED colors can provide local governments with completely new options in cityscape design. Buildings, squares and streets can be lit more distinctly, and any area of town can have its own atmosphere with nuanced color schemes.

    Another advantage is that LEDs have a much longer operating life than high-pressure discharge lamps. Because LEDs are essentially shockproof, they are also better protected from vandalism. For local government this means lower costs for street lighting maintenance and repair.

    A project with a future

    The test facility is intended to provide information on the suitability of LED technology for practical use in urban areas today. The systems’ temperature and efficiency readings are under constant observation. It is clear that LEDs have already attained, and to some extent even exceeded, the performance of conventional lamps.

    In a few years even more efficient systems will be feasible, whereby major energy savings can be achieved. Apart from significant savings for towns and cities the environment will also benefit from reduced energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

    infra fürth GmbH expects to gain experience from the project of the ability to utilise the technology in future as well as knowledge about operational procedures and the energy and operating costs of LED luminaires.

    “We’re happy that Schréder has implemented this innovative pilot project together with Osram in Fürth. The findings we obtain from this will certainly help us decide on further possible applications”, says Elmar Eckl, in charge of street lighting at infra fürth GmbH.

    “LEDs are considered the lamps of the future. As an innovative service provider it is a given that we’re going to investigate the potential of any future technologies. We also would like to share our experiences with the city of Fürth and other local authorities.”