Bath & North East Somerset Council are currently celebrating the achievement of being the first local authority in the United Kingdom to convert all main road lights to LED Technology.

The accomplishment is expected to cut energy use by more than 1.5 Kilowatt Hours (Kwh) and to add to this, the council is expected to make savings of around £200,000 a year in electricity bills.

As far as the environment is concerned, carbon emissions are expected to be cut by over 780 tonnes, which is the equivalent to three per cent of the Council's total energy consumption.

Included in the changeover are intelligent lighting lanterns, which adjust their output in accordance with the level of traffic on the road at any time. The council have also added LED lighting on all 108 zebra crossings, which will further reduce energy usage by another 77,000Khw per year.

At a time when the British Government is cutting funding to local councils, it is thought that LED lighting innovations shall be welcomed by other local authorities across the country.

Councillor Caroline Roberts of Newbridge, Cabinet Member for Transport said: "Instead of turning-off street lights like many other town halls, Bath & North East Somerset Council has used the latest technology to keep them on and save the local taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds on energy costs, cutting our carbon footprint in the process.

"The numbers involved in this project were truly staggering. We've worked hard in partnership with the private sector, particularly Philips, to deliver a success that will benefit local people because the savings allow us to protect frontline services."

The project has also been recognised by the Local Government News Street Design Awards 2013, as a winner in the public lighting category.

The award ceremony is set to be held in July 2013.

This article has been written by Hannah Trafford from LED Lighting Depot.

The movement of people and goods is crucial to the world economy. Whether travelling for work, visiting friends, or using products shipped from another country, we rely on transport to go about our daily lives. However our roads, train stations, ports and airports are busier than ever as populations grow and we increasingly move into cities.

Globally, the transportation sector is expected to continue growing, with a geographic shift of demand and manufacturing to the developing economies. But with this growth, environmental concerns are also increasing. Presently, more than 60 per cent of the 87 million barrels of oil consumed every day power the world's transportation sector, and liquid fossil fuels account for 94 per cent of the energy supply to the sector.

If the transportation sector is to be successful in reducing its impact and if it is to contribute to the limiting of global warming to less than 2°C, it cannot continue to develop under a business-as-usual scenario.

According to the predictions of the World Business Council Sustainability Development's Vision 2050 report, universal access to low carbon transport is expected by 2050. An 80 per cent reduction in energy use by light-duty vehicles is also forecast, along with a 50 per cent drop in energy usage within shipping/freight transportation.

These changes will create challenges and opportunities for all those companies operating within the sector. If suppliers such as AkzoNobel are to respond effectively to these trends, they need to focus on bigger, bolder innovations that can substantially improve sustainability, and deliver better value for customers.

The transportation sector needs these sustainable solutions. And if companies are to develop them, they need to recruit the very best people - pioneering chemists and engineers; strategists with acute insight into the markets, needs and global trends that will shape our world. Naturally, businesses need to commit to investing the necessary funds. Despite challenging economic conditions, at AkzoNobel we have actually increased our R&D spend in recent years. Over €370m was invested in research and development last year, two-thirds of which was focused purely on sustainability.

The fruits of this investment at AkzoNobel can be seen in products such as Intersleek. This solution enables ocean-going ships to move faster and use less fuel through the use of anti-fouling coatings. Another example is a world class basecoat/clearcoat system we have developed for aeroplanes which has redefined the application process. Requiring one coat instead of the usual two or three, it dries in two hours (rather than ten) and offers lower dirt pick-up, resulting in less need for cleaning. The potential weight reduction brought about by using less paint also means improved fuel efficiency.

It is also important for companies to recognize when they need to work with others. An "open innovation" approach is being employed increasingly by corporations who realize that they can no longer rely solely on internal resources to maintain a competitive edge.

Businesses need to fully embrace the model of open innovation. Why? Simply because in a world whose pace is getting faster and faster, it's difficult, if not impossible, for companies to have all the knowledge, skills and know-how available in-house to take ideas into the market place quickly or cost-effectively enough.

Organisations need to work up and down the value chains with others who have complementary capabilities to their own - suppliers with whom they can work to develop more sustainable raw materials; customers and end users who can guide them in their market needs and trends; and universities of course that can help them identify emerging sciences that can be developed into useful technologies.

In summary, incremental improvements will not be enough if we are to successfully tackle the sustainability challenges facing the transportation sector. It is only by delivering radical solutions and developing big and bold innovations that we will be able to drive significant change. Companies that can provide this will ultimately stand to benefit.

AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International and Eka.

Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow's Answers Today^TM.

Tesla, a US state-supported electric car manufacturer, published dazzling first-quarter financial results for 2013, suggesting the era of the plug-in car may have arrived in earnest.

With almost 5,000 delivered worldwide, the Silicon Valley company's Tesla Model S luxury electric sedan outsold the German top-three, the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes S Class. One of few cars designed specifically as an electric vehicle, the 2012 Model S was named Car of the Year by two major American motoring magazines while Consumer Report pronounced it the best car they had ever tested.

Electric car and electric vehicle component manufacturer Tesla Motors announced a 5m profit for the period, its first in ten years of trading. Revenue increased by an impressive $562m and its gross margin rose nine per cent to 17 per cent, outperforming both Toyota and General Motors.

The Californian company is owned by PayPal founder and transport innovator Elon Musk, whose SpaceX company produced the first commercial capsule ever to dock with the International Space Station. He recently launched the first Supercharger car charging station in the US.

The company used a $465m 'stimulus' loan from the 2009 Obama administration to rebuild a factory formerly owned by an unsuccessful General Motors/Toyota joint venture. Despite high-profile critics like Mitt Romney, who branded it a ‘loser', Tesla is now valued at nearly $20bn0bn and intends to repay the loan five years early to escape a clause allowing the government to purchase three per cent of shares at $7.54 each. The value of a Tesla share is currently about $90.

A letter to investors refers to a "strong global demand" for the Model S amounting to more than 20,000 orders per year. There are plans to launch a Model X' SUV in 2014 and a cheaper sedan is likely to follow.

With 7,000 of those orders coming from Europe, the biggest market in the world for electric vehicles, we should expect a significant shift in the UK car market. The government is already investing in charging points around the country and offering green incentives. Rising petrol prices could drive even the least environmentally conscious motorist to switch to the right car.

Expected in the UK this summer, the Model S will cost £83,000 and purchasers will be eligible for a £5,000 government Plug-in Grant. A February 'CAR' review described it as "the single most significant American car for decades". Declaring it a potential game-changer because it fully demonstrates the computerised EV's inherent potential, CAR awarded the Model S five stars for both 'performance' and 'feelgood factor'.

In this first quarter, UK registrations of alternatively-fuelled cars are already up 2.9 per cent. Research conducted last year by Motor Trader suggests EVs could account for 20 per cent of the UK car market by 2020.

In November a blogger for Trade Plan Insurance services was already predicting forecourts full of electric vehicles after observing the success of 'The RAC Brighton to London Future Car Rally'. Motor traders may need to prepare themselves for a changing commercial landscape.

It might not sound as exciting as the latest iPad or Xbox console, but home appliances that help you save money and look after the environment are certainly something to get all of a lather about! Many home appliances are leading the way in the domestic eco revolution with innovative technologies helping households cut their energy bills, saving them money and raising their eco profile.

Topping the list of eco innovative brands is Samsung whose trade-marked ecobubble^TM range, which features innovative technology, is designed to help lower energy bills. The ecobubble^TM washing machines use clever bubble technology to wash clothes. You might think that washing with bubbles is nothing new but Samsung's unique machines dissolve water and detergent completely in a bubble generator creating a cushion of foam for a deep and effective clean.

Because of this technology, you can wash clothes effectively at only 15°C, reducing the costs associated with washing at higher temperatures. There's also the quick wash option which means lightly soiled clothes can be washed in 15 minutes, further saving time and energy!

Although the ecobubble^TM techonology will help save money and energy in the short term, it's the added extras which help to make a real difference. The ecobubble^TM's diamond patterned drum means that clothes will be cushioned during a wash, helping them to be better cared for so that they'll last longer. Because of the revolutionary technology used in the machine, the wear and tear is minimised and all machines come with a five year warranty.

Also doing their part to help the environment is Bosch. Their Logixx range includes energy saving technology relevant to its various appliances. For example, the Bosch Logixx washing machine includes ActiveWater^TM technology which measures water usage using flow sensors so the ideal amount of water is used each time, varying according to load size. This clever addition means that if you're just washing a few clothes, the machine recognises this and distributes a smaller amount of water than it would if you were doing a full wash.

Next time you need to buy a new home appliance check out its energy credentials. Clever additions and innovative technology will not only help you save money but will help to keep energy usage at a minimum and help keep the environment healthy. Now that's something to get excited about!

For more information about Samsung ecobubble^TM and Bosch Logixx^TM visit AO. Join the conversation on Google+.

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People try to combat high energy bills by keeping the heating to a minimum, blocking drafts and making mindful efforts to not waste electricity, but yet energy bills can still often surprise us.

Households could save themselves over £2,000 a year if they were to invest in energy saving features. Solar panels, combi-boilers and cavity wall insulation are just some of the features that could help a household keep their pennies in their pockets.

With recent stats indicating that energy and water bills have increased by 79 per cent in five years, now is the time to start looking at what measures can be taken to safeguard against these rising energy costs, for now and for the future.

To find out how much you could save, check out this helpful tool from windows and doors experts, Safestyle UK: http://www.safestyle-windows.co.uk/saving-energy/

Research and content provided by Safestyle UK