The Executive Yuan’s plans to phase out mercury-vapor streetlights may make Taiwan the first nation to do so, while saving the nation NT$1.1 billion (US$35.8 million) in electricity fees, as well as NT$7.2 billion in local government expenditure.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) yesterday approved the project to replace all mercury-vapor streetlamps, pledging a NT$5.49 billion budget over the next two years to replace all 692,000 mercury-vapor lamps with LED lamps.
The project hopes to cut carbon emissions, while helping the development of the LED lighting industry, the Executive Yuan said.
The Executive Yuan hopes the project will cut electricity costs by NT$1.1 billion, maintenance costs by NT$346 million and local government spending by NT$7.2 billion within five years.
The project began in 2012 and has since been succeeded by many other projects seeking to promote LED light bulbs over the recent years, Executive Yuan spokesman Sun Lih-chyun (孫立群) said.
As of last year, the nation had changed more than 284,000 light bulbs to LEDs, which cut carbon dioxide emissions by 120,000 tonnes, Sun said.
Research by the Industrial Technology Research Institute showed that lighting quality after changing the bulbs to LEDs had increased and public satisfaction was at 80 percent and above.
Lighting capability has also increased, as LED lighting has on average three times the efficiency of mercury-vapor bulbs, while its service life of six years is three times that of mercury-vapor bulbs, Sun said.
Local governments can choose manufacturers of LEDs based on best energy conservation efficiency and the most advantageous tender, Sun said.
Regulations would be set in place to prohibit a change back, Sun said, adding that the nation is aiming to have replaced all of the mercury-vapor streetlights by the end of next year.
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