Energy efficiency is a primary consideration when designing off-grid renewable energy systems
including portable micro-grids. This study focuses on characterizing the potential benefits associated
with using energy efficient exterior area lighting commonly associated with remote installations. Light
emitting diode (LED) luminaires are becoming more commercially available, and this study compares
two LED products designed for exterior lighting to traditional metal halide lamps. The characterization
focuses on the use of a diesel generator, battery bank, and a bank of ultra capacitors (UCAPs) to power the
lights because these systems are also used to generate or store energy at renewable energy-powered
micro-grids. This field-based study quantifies the illuminance provided by each lighting system, diesel
consumption rates associated with powering the lights and/or charging the batteries and UCAPs, and the
time of operation for each lighting system when powered by a single discharge cycle of the batteries and
UCAPs. The energy efficiency benefit of the LED luminaires is offset by their lower illuminance. However,
a comparison of lighting standards for specific purposes such as security lighting indicates that LEDs may
be appropriate for applications where a metal halide system would provide significantly more illumination
than required at a much higher energy cost. For those purposes where higher levels of illuminance
are required, the data presented in the paper may be useful in designing a renewable energy-powered
micro-grid that uses multiple LED fixtures to illuminate an exterior area that is currently illuminated by
a single metal halide light stand.