Kerala, India, The Energy Management Centre (EMC) is in the process of framing a street light policy, which, if implemented in the state, can save 24 million kwh of electricity every year.

The policy will stress the need to use LED bulbs, which is now being implemented in 65 municipalities and corporations in the state.

EMC director Dharesan Unnithan said that the pilot project of installing LED bulbs had been completed in 40 municipalities. The project is expected to be completed in all areas identified before June.

"After the policy is framed, the local bodies can install the LEDs according to the specifications of the road and number of people travelling through it during night. Sodium vapour lamps, which consumes more power, are still used in several rural areas. It should be replaced with LED lamps," he said.

According to the policy, 20W LEDs are required in rural areas whereas in cities and towns a 75W LED is enough in a junction where four major roads meet. The policy will be a general guideline for saving energy in street lighting, which now uses very conventional methods of lighting. A street light with two tubes of 110 W can be replaced with a 35W LED. Along with this, the system will be programmed to switch the lights on and off automatically.

After the pilot project is completed, local bodies will conduct a campaign to create awareness on the need to use LED and demonstrate the power saved every day, Unnithan said.

The benefits of this alternative lighting system will be brought to the notice of local bodies before its implementation.  In the pilot project, around 6,500 LED bulbs will be installed with 100 bulbs in each municipality and corporation and an additional 300 bulbs from the fund.