Throwing light on energy waste

Industrial facilities require hundreds, if not thousands of lights, many of which burn 24/7. With many of these facilities using old lighting systems, unnecessary energy is being wasted. Here, Russell Fletcher, sales and marketing director at Harvard Engineering explains how industrial facilities can save energy by using intelligent lighting technology

Industrial facilities require heavy duty lighting, which often equates to enormous energy bills. In fact, with many still using lighting systems installed in the 1950s, it is estimated that a massive £1.4billion and 10 million tonnes of carbon are being wasted each year.

Fluorescent tube lighting is commonly used in industrial facilities.

However, the EU is keen for inefficient fluorescent tubes, including the T8 Halophostate and the basic T12 to be phased out. Additional pressure from UK government legislation to reduce carbon emissions across large facilities and the promise that an estimated immediate saving of 20% can be made by upgrading, many companies are now looking at lighting systems that will help reduce energy yet provide the heavy duty lighting necessary in industrial applications.

LED lighting is one a number of new lighting technologies. Previously used only for applications that did not require a high lux level, such as emergency lighting and signage, technological advances have led to LEDs being installed in an everincreasing number of applications, including commercial buildings and large industrial facilities.

LEDs are 25% to 70% more efficient than some other light sources - and getting more efficient by the day - and it is estimated that the UK's energy consumption used by lighting could be reduced by up to 70% by 2050 if all lighting was upgraded to LEDs, once the technology achieves expected levels of efficiency.

With LEDs usually lasting for 50,000 to 100,000 hours, they provide a solution for industrial facilities where the replacement cost for lamps can also be substantial.

Installed alongside control equipment called drivers, LEDs can be dimmed to provide additional savings while prolonging their lifespan - LEDs can last for 11 years in continuous operation at 100%, which would double at half the load.

One of the most common dimming forms for LEDs is DALI, an intelligent dimming protocol, which is increasingly being used in commercial buildings across Europe. DALI drivers provide digital dimming capabilities of between 100% and 0.1%, with the additional option of switching the lighting off completely.

Analogue 1-10V drivers offer an alternative solution to the DALI digital protocol, using voltage input to manage the intensity of the light. For example, at 10V lights operate at 100%, 5V lights operate at 50%, and at 0V lights are switched off.

The use of dimmable drivers makes it possible to control the lux level of each light fitting and ensures that every light operates at optimum level to ensure an excellent level of light uniformity. In addition, different lighting requirements can be set in different areas.

LEDs can also be installed alongside other control equipment, such as presence detectors and daylight sensors, in order to achieve additional savings. Presence detectors, which detect when people are in a room and then turn the lights on and off accordingly are suitable for industrial facilities where areas may be intermittently occupied or left unoccupied for long periods of time. Daylight sensors work by measuring the natural light levels in a building to determine what lux level the artificial light should be at.

The idea of spending on capital items, like new lighting technologies, in the current economic climate may be a daunting thought for many businesses, however there is financial support available for those who want to embrace the benefits of installing new lighting solutions.

The Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme allows companies to write-off the whole cost of eligible equipment against taxable profit in the year of purchase. Every £1000 spent on qualifying equipment would reduce a company's tax bill in the year of purchase by £280 (based on a corporation tax rate of 28%).