Las Vegas has been outfitted with commercial LED lighting for its street lights.
The city has installed 42,000 GE Evolve LED lights on all residential, collector and arterial streets. Overall, the project is estimated to save the city $2 million per year. With the $20.8 million price tag on the entire retrofit, those savings will recoup the installation in a little over 10 years.
Savings will also be put toward other green technologies. These projects include a 300 kW solar installation and more energy efficient retrofits to public buildings. The combined brown energy savings from the project will greatly reduce the city's carbon footprint. Las Vegas' status as an international tourism destination leads to large electrical expenditures. The casinos alone draw on large amounts of energy, and city officials want to do their part to cut down on the energy consumption they control.
New LED commercial lighting will also give tourists a better experience strolling down the Strip. LEDs are brighter than other lighting options, which is necessary when illuminating one of the entertainment capitals of the world. The street lights have to be on par with the million other lights beaming from the casinos. Visitors will feel more comfortable exploring at night and spend more money at the tables.