In an effort to become more of a “smart” city, Portland, Maine, will install energy efficient LED lighting — and wifi — in street lights throughout the city and neighboring islands.
The $8.5 million project was approved by the Portland City Council Monday. According to pressherald.com, the city will spend $8.5 million to save $10 million over 10 years.
This aspect of such smart cities allows for the monitoring, control and analysis of various aspects of daily life, from informing citizens, to traffic alerts, lighting streets and finding parking.
The site reported that Falmouth Town Manager Nathan Poore said the town may consider adding some advanced control functions to its lights, which would allow for some lights to be dimmed and timed differently.
Portland will finance the project through a $4 million, 10-year loan by Banc of America Public Capital Group, among other financing.
Maine has been seen as a leader in promoting energy efficient initiatives throughout the state. In March of this year, it was announced that seven Maine-based businesses would receive $77,500 in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds to purchase and install renewable energy systems. The state has also been a proponent for the waste-to-energy movement for years.
