Seoul City 'Free LED Light Installation'... 1 in 10 Low-Income Households Reduced Electricity Bills

40,000 Vulnerable Group LED Lights Distributed to Welfare Facilities and Low-Income Households Over 8 Years
This Year, 1,5661 Units Will Be Replaced Free of Charge in Low-Income Households and Welfare Facilities with a 2 Billion Won Investment... Expected Annual Savings of 190 Million Won

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 7th that over the past eight years, it has installed high-efficiency LED lighting free of charge, resulting in half of the 5,864 social welfare facilities in Seoul and one out of every ten low-income households reducing their electricity bills.

According to Seoul City, nearly 400,000 high-efficiency LED lights have been installed free of charge through the "LED Lighting Distribution Project for Vulnerable Groups" over the past eight years. A total of 61,066 low-income households and 2,738 welfare facilities replaced 395,000 fluorescent and incandescent lamps with high-efficiency LED lighting.

Compared to fluorescent and incandescent lamps, LED lighting consumes about half the power and costs about half as much in electricity bills, while its lifespan is more than five times longer. It is an eco-friendly, high-efficiency lighting that offers simultaneous savings on electricity bills and maintenance costs. By providing electricity bill benefits to vulnerable groups, it realizes energy welfare and responds to the climate crisis by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from buildings.

The free distribution of 395,000 LED lights is expected to reduce annual power consumption by 45,758 MWh. This is equivalent to the amount of electricity used by 12,000 households in Seoul for one year and has the same effect as planting 3.19 million 30-year-old pine trees. Electricity bills are estimated to be reduced by 4.576 billion KRW annually.

This year, Seoul City will invest 2 billion KRW in its budget to distribute 15,661 LED lights free of charge to 2,406 low-income households and 137 welfare facilities. If this year’s distribution target is achieved, it is expected to save 188 million KRW annually in electricity costs.

The support targets are recipients of livelihood, medical, housing, and education benefits under the National Basic Livelihood Security Act, the near-poor class, and welfare facilities established and operated under Article 34 of the Social Welfare Services Act. Welfare facilities were selected as support targets this year through a demand survey conducted by autonomous districts last year, and low-income households can apply through the relevant autonomous district or community service center. Facilities that have not passed five years since completion, those that have replaced LED lighting within the last five years, or those with plans for remodeling or relocation in the future, as well as households, are excluded.

According to the "Comprehensive Plan for Climate Change Response (2022?2026)" announced by Seoul City in January, the plan is to distribute LED lighting to 20,000 low-income and near-poor households within the next five years. In addition to LED lighting distribution, Seoul will continue to promote the "Climate Change Vulnerable Group Support Project," which improves indoor and outdoor environments of facilities used by vulnerable groups who are relatively more affected by climate change, and will pilot the "Low-Income Energy Efficiency Improvement Project," which can improve energy efficiency at low cost, this year.

Kim Jeong-seon, Director of Climate Change Response at Seoul City, said, “Replacing existing lighting with LED lighting reduces energy consumption, saves electricity bills, and simultaneously reduces greenhouse gases. We will continue to take the lead not only in improving energy efficiency but also in ensuring that vulnerable groups can enjoy comfortable and healthy living environments.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.