Village of Cooperstown saves energy with LED holiday lights

November 23, 2007

Energy-efficient holiday lights help Village of Cooperstown lower energy bill

Cooperstown, NY – November 23, 2007: In an effort to promote sustainable practices, the Village of Cooperstown has replaced its incandescent holiday lights with energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights, w ith the assistance of the Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA), this holiday season.

The Municipal Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA), a nonprofit organization that helps municipalities purchase electricity and natural gas at lower rates than they could get individually, is offering grants to eight upstate cities to purchase LED holiday lights.

LED holiday lights are constructed from solid-state chips that convert electricity into light without using a filament or glass bulb. They can burn for up to 100,000 hours, enough to last through more than 11 holiday seasons. They produce almost no heat, rarely burn out, will not overload household circuits, and come in a variety of lengths, sizes, colors and styles.

The Village of Cooperstown is replacing 5,275 incandescent bulbs with C6 Forever Bright LED light bulbs on the Center Square including the holiday tree and the downtown Main Street lighting.

“We’re delighted to have this additional opportunity to help our customers save money on their utility bills,” said Barbara Blanchard, MEGA’s executive director. “We want to help spread the word about the importance of finding ways to reduce our energy consumption, and we are working with NYSERDA’s Energy $mart Communities Program to bring LED holiday lights to six counties in the upstate region. Maybe next year we can do even more.”

The 5,275 new LED lights will draw only 400 watts of power event though the Center Square will be illuminated for 24 hours a day. The new lights will consume about 400 kilo-watt hours of electricity that will cost Village of Cooperstown resident taxpayers less than $100 in energy costs during the holiday season – a substantial saving in comparison to what has been used in the past. Homeowners and renters are encouraged to follow suit for the holidays as one small step to save energy and to purchase LED holiday lights when decorating their homes.

“This simple change creates big savings for the Village of Cooperstown, NY,” said Paul D. Tonko, President and CEO of NYSERDA. “LED lights use substantially less energy and are safer than traditional lighting because they burn cooler. These long-lasting holiday lights will help us reach Governor Spitzer’s goal of reducing electricity consumption 15 percent by 2015, while protecting the environment and serving the community for many years to come.”

New York residents can also save over $100 this holiday season by decorating their homes with a variety of energy efficient lighting choices that are easy, safe and last longer than traditional holiday lighting, including LED lights and :

• Cool-to-the-touch fiber optic holiday lights are a good choice for paths, trees, decks, patios and vaulted ceilings because fiber optic cables make it easier to access and maintain lights in hard-to-reach areas.
• Rope lights consist of tiny incandescent lights spaced about an inch apart that are enclosed in a half-inch diameter flexible plastic tube. These lights last more than 20,000 hours and make a safe choice for decorating trees, doors and windows.
• Candelabra Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) use about 80 percent less energy, produce the same lumens and generally last 10 times longer than the average incandescent bulb. They can be used in candlesticks and menorahs instead of an open flame.

Energy-efficient holiday lighting applications is just once component of the “Little Steps to Big Savings” campaign NYSERDA is administering this fall where New Yorker’s are taking a pledge for energy efficiency. To take the pledge or to learn more about it, visit NYSERDA Get Energy Smart or call toll-free 1-877-NYSMART.

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) uses innovation and technology to solve some of New York 's most difficult energy and environmental problems in ways that improve the State's economy.

Contact:

Colleen Ryan, NYSERDA,
518-862-1090, ext. 3359 or cqr@nyserda.ny.gov