Two-year effort in Concord to save $700,000 on energy costs over 10 years
Published: 04-14-2023 10:30 AM |
All 2,050 streetlights in Concord have been switched to LEDs following a two-year process, the biggest such switchover that Unitil has done in New Hampshire.
Unitil provided energy efficiency incentives to the city totaling $285,448 that cut the installation cost by more than half as well as a zero-interest loan of $262,460 that will be covered from bills over five years.
Cities and towns throughout New Hampshire served by all four of the state’s power utilities have been switching streetlights to LED bulbs, which use much less electricity than the incandescent, sodium or mercury bulbs that have been used over the past half-century. Replacements can pay for themselves in as little as two or three years through lower power bills.
Unitil estimated that Concord’s change will save 672,364 kilowatt hours annually, resulting in an estimated carbon emission reduction of 552 tons per year. The city is projected to save more than $700,000 on energy costs over a 10-year period, with the potential for additional savings as advanced control systems are introduced and installed.
The incentives were offered through NHSaves, a state-mandated collaboration of New Hampshire’s electric and natural gas utilities.