Transforming Streetlights into Smart Meters: The Future of Municipal Energy Management
As LED adoption rapidly increases, with over half of the U.S. outdoor lighting already converted, the potential for energy savings through advanced streetlight controls is vast. With rising energy costs, cities and utilities are beginning to scrutinize their energy expenditures, with lighting accounting for approximately 40% of a municipality's energy costs. However, without monitoring and control, flat rate tariffs are used to bill for lighting, leaving the true cost of lighting and IoT sensors in the dark.
Enter modern Networked Lighting Controllers (NLCs), which now offer meter-grade billing data and are capable of supporting time-of-use energy tariffs for streetlights and associated smart city sensors. These advancements provide unprecedented control and transparency. Recognizing this potential, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association’s (NEMA) C136 Outdoor Lighting Standards Committee published the C136.50 standard, setting new benchmarks for NLC metrology.
Join this session to understand the core principles of the C136.50 standard for street lighting and how utilities and cities can leverage these capabilities to accurately track consumption, explore dynamic rate structures, track and report carbon emissions reductions, support smart city applications, and more. We’ll explore real-world examples of how utilities are thinking about the potential for smart streetlights to serve as sophisticated energy management tools. Ask yourself: “Can my streetlight do more for me”?
Presenters
- Donna Corr, Mississippi Power
- Amanda Dixon, Itron