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LED streetlights consume up to 70% less energy than standard lamps, the company said

A low-carbon streetlight, which consumes up to 70% less energy than standard lamps, has been unveiled by electricity and gas company E.ON.

Called Marlin, the new LED streetlight aims to reduce the impact which lighting our streets and roads has on the environment.

According to the company, traditional streetlamps use around 2% of all electricity generated in the UK, releasing over 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every year.

In contrast, tests show that the Marlin light, which was developed in collaboration with West Midlands-based lighting firm Advanced LEDs, reduces energy consumption by 25%, while carbon emissions decrease by 50%.

The lights have been tested in the firm's Coventry office, where 11 of the LED luminaries were installed during December 2008, as well on a number of other company sites and by two local authorities.

In addition to the reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions, LED lamps are also expected to last for up to 100,000 hours, or almost eight times the length of traditional streetlights.

E.ON, which currently operates a number of lighting contracts for local authorities and private companies, is now hoping to offer the technology to new and existing customers.

Richard Scott, the firm's head of marketing for sustainable energy solutions, said the company wants to change the way people view and use energy.

"This is an example of how, through technological advancement, the CO2 emissions from street lighting could be halved – delivering clear benefits for our environment and cost savings for our business customers," he added.

Last month, E.ON announced that it was working with Barratt Homes on a project which aims to deliver a low-carbon solution for homes.

In trials outside of the UK, the Climate Group recently announced that LED streetlights, called LightSavers, will be tested in Adelaide, Hong Kong, Kolkata, London, Mumbai, New York, Tianjin and Toronto.

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