Florida will install LED lights at state parks to trim energy bills
“We anticipate the project will pay itself off in just under a year and a half. And will save the state parks more than $300,000 in 10 years.” — Tammy Gustafson, board president of the Florida State Parks Foundation
As a way of reducing energy consumption and lowering power bills, state officials on Wednesday launched a pilot program that will install hundreds of LED lights at five Florida parks in the coming weeks and eventually to nearly all public recreational facilities across the state over the next two years.
“That energy efficiency leads right to lower bills, which that money is going to be used for other priorities,” said Robert Yero, a bureau chief for Florida State Parks. “Anywhere we can save money, save on costs, save energy, then it all goes right back into the park.”
Yero was joined by officials with the nonprofit Florida State Parks Foundation and Duke Energy Florida — which helped fund the “Greener Initiative” — at Wekiwa Springs State Park near Apopka, where the lights will be installed first.
The four other recreational facilities receiving the lights by May include Blue Springs State Park, in Orange City; Highland Hammock State Park, in Sebring; Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, in White Springs; and Dr. Julian G. Bruce State Park, in St. George Island.
The project for the five parks will cost an estimated $39,000 and save an estimated $27,000 per year and $311,000 in a decade in energy and maintenance costs, officials said.
“In just these first five parks, we will be replacing 700 lights or lighting fixtures in campgrounds, office buildings, restrooms and other facilities,” said Tammy Gustafson, board president of the Florida State Parks Foundation. “We anticipate the project will pay itself off in just under a year and a half. And will save the state parks more than $300,000 in 10 years.”
She estimated the energy reduction will amount to 130,000
kilowatt hours per year, or one million kilowatt hours over the next decade.
By 2026, the lights will be installed in 175 of the state’s parks and trails.
However, the new lights will not interfere with campers who like to gaze at the stars dotting the dark night sky, or disturb nocturnal creatures who hunt or lay eggs after the sun sets, Yero said.
“Obviously, we have certain parks where that is more of an emphasis,” Yero said about bright lights shining at night interfering with the ambience. “So we limit the outside ambient lighting, especially if it’s not needed. We also have areas that have turtle nesting. But here [at Wekiwa State Park], we’re more focused on energy efficiency.”
The new lights program ties with an effort launched late last year by the three organizations to install 121 water bottle refilling stations across 85 of Florida’s busiest state parks to reduce plastic litter and garbage.
“In only a few months, those stations have saved nearly 100,000 single-use water bottles,” Gustafson said. “That was the first step in creating projects and practices to increase environmental sustainability.”
The water bottle refilling stations were partially paid with a $175,000 grant from Duke Energy. The Florida State Parks Foundation contributed $25,000 to the water stations and $40,000 for the LED lights from its sales of colorful specialty license plates that read “Explore our State Parks” which debuted in March 2022.
“The license plate exists to support our state parks,” Gustafson said. “And it’s so gratifying to see all the water bottle refilling stations, and these new lighting fixtures, and know that they are a direct result of our supporters, our fellow state park enthusiasts and all of those who are purchasing our state parks license plate.”
Last fiscal year — which runs from July 1 through June 30 — a record 32 million people visited Florida’s state parks, or 10 million more than the state’s population of about 22 million, Yero said.
“We’re on track for another record-breaking year,” he said.