New Technology in Holiday Lights Helps Residents and Businesses Save Money and Energy

(November 23, 2004)

treelighting.jpg

Pier 39's Christmas tree is

illuminated with ultra high

efficiency LED lights.

Historic San Francisco Cable Cars Adorned with Energy Saving Lights Remind Everyone About Conservation During Winter Season

New Technology in Holiday Lights Helps Residents and Businesses Save Money and Energy

WHAT:

How old are your holiday lights? It's probably time to switch to new energy efficient LED lights. Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Francisco Environment and MUNI have teamed up to decorate several cable cars with new energy saving holiday lights. These high-efficiency holiday lights called Light Emitting Diodes (LED's) reduce energy use by up to 90 percent. The LED holiday lights available this year include a better selection of colors and styles than last year (the first year they were widely available), and are becoming more widely available in retail stores. LED holiday lights are available in strings of 25, 35, 50, 60, 70 and 100 bulbs and come in red, green, white, blue, yellow and amber.

NOTE:

DECORATED CABLE CAR WITH LED LIGHTS WILL BE DISPLAYED AT EVENT. All during the holidays, the famous 100-year old cable cars driving through the streets of San Francisco with the festive-and energy saving-lights will remind residents and tourists alike that it's just as important to save energy in winter as it is in summer.

WHO:

Al Stuebing, Account Services Director, Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Jared Blumenfeld, Director, San Francisco Environment

WHEN:

Wednesday, November 24, 2004, 10 a.m.

WHERE:

Cable Car Turnaround at California and Drumm streets, San Francisco (Next to Embarcadero and Hyatt Hotel)

CONTACT:

Paul Moreno or Christy Dennis, PG&E News Department (415) 973-5930

Becky Ballinger, SF Environment (415) 355-3754

EXAMPLE OF AVERAGE LED ENERGY SAVINGS:

# of Lights Type of Light Energy Usage of Bulb 720 Hours (16 hours Per Day for 45 Days) Average Cost Per kW/h AVERAGE OPERATING COST
300 Large Incandescent 9.00 Watts 1944.40 kW/h 13.5 cents $262.44
300 Mini Incandescent 0.45 Watts 97.20 kW/h 13.5 cents $13.12
300 New LED Lights 0.043 Watts 9.29 kW/h 13.5 cents $1.25
Contact information

contact