Boston’s monumental move to transition its 2,800 natural gas street lights in iconic neighborhoods like Beacon Hill, Back Bay, and Bay Village into contemporary LED-powered street lamps. While these traditional gas lamps have been a historical gem in the city, their future may soon be electrified.
The city’s endeavor to convert these natural gas street lights to LEDs aligns with Boston’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 while preserving its historic allure. A city spokesperson affirmed that the shift from gas to LED lighting is a strategic step to curb emissions and maintain the city’s intrinsic integrity.
The environmental impact of the gas lamps is substantial; two of these fixtures consume as much gas as an average household yearly, emitting the equivalent greenhouse gases of 1,100 cars annually. The vast contrast in emissions between existing gas lamps and their LED 36W replacements stands at 41 times less for the latter.
City Councilor Kenzie Bok emphasizes the significance of street lighting in mitigating carbon emissions, indicating that gas-lit street lights, although just 4% of Boston’s street lights, contribute to 37% of the emissions.
This strategic shift from gas lamps to LEDs not only addresses environmental concerns but also aligns with Boston’s ambitious carbon reduction targets. Bok underscores the importance of diverse city operations identifying emission-cutting strategies, praising the street lighting department’s commitment to efficiently lower emissions.
This electrification initiative forms a segment of the Renew Boston Trust program, established in 2017 to conduct energy audits and implement conservation upgrades across municipal buildings.
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Photo and article with all rights reserved, courtesy of thescopeboston.org
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