Municipal Street Lighting Systems Energy Cost and Carbon Footprint Estimation in Uyo, Nigeria

This paper analyses the energy cost and carbon emission footprint of the current street lighting systems in Uyo Nigeria. Using a life cycle assessment approach, a comparative analysis of the carbon footprints of the diesel powered system alongside the two lighting schemes namely: the High Pressure Sodium (HPS) and Light Emitting Diodes (LED) systems were examined. The analysis shows that the LED systems although having an initial high replacement cost, are the most economically viable, offering the least energy cost per annum with very minimal carbon emission footprint as opposed to the diesel powered HPS system which has both high energy cost and carbon emission footprints. Besides this, LED lighting systems when compared with HPS offers a combination of improved nighttime visibility, reduced operations/maintenance cost and decrease in carbon emission. It is hoped that the results of this study would influence municipal authorities in their choice of lighting schemes.