Ameresco, Inc. announced that it has been selected by the City of Yakima to develop and implement a citywide LED street light project through an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC). The City upgraded 400 of its downtown street lights to LED in 2009 using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding. The new project will convert the balance of the City's 4,000 remaining high pressure sodium street lights, as well as parking, parks and other outdoor lighting, to new LED lighting. Ameresco will also assist the City in applying for a Washington Department of Commerce energy efficiency grant to help pay for the project.

YAKIMA, Washington -- Some new street lights are helping the city of Yakima cut its electric bill. The lights have been up for about a year and have already saved  thousands of dollars. About 400 lights throughout the city have already been upgraded. The first set was paid for with about $400,000 worth of grant money. The new high-efficiency LED lights are anywhere from 40% to 60% more efficient than traditional bulbs, and have saved the city about $30,000 in just the first year. "There again, big energy savings, big maintenance savings, and the light, general...