The American Energy Efficient Lighting Tragedy

Energy efficient lighting alternatives have existed for years. The amount of carbon emissions that can be eliminated from the environment, through utilizing lighting efficiency, is enormous.  Let’s consider street lighting as an example, 100-400 watt HID fixtures are commonly used as illumination for our Nation’s highways, roadways and alleyways.  The consumption of these fixtures can be cut in half with the use of more efficient Induction lighting technology. In many cases the replacement of these fixtures will also improve the quality of light. There are millions of these inefficient lighting fixtures in the US. Replacing 5 million 100 watt Metal Halide street lighting with 80 watt Induction will yield the following approximate results:

   963,600,000 kw usage reduction, at the conservative rate of 8¢ per KWH, results in $77,088,000 annual savings. This is the equivalent to removing 129,375 cars from the road or replenishing 183,975 acres of forest. It would also have a coal burning reduction of 315,196 tons per year. Mercury contamination will be reduced by 14,978,196 mg. per year.  An Induction lamp has 4 to 5 times the life of a HID lamp. Again, using a conservative number of $100.00 per lamp change, Induction would save Americans approximately 2 billion dollars in maintenance cost over the next 20 years. A reduction of 5 million 400 watt HID to 150 watt Induction would have 3 times the impact. The aforementioned results are only the tip of the energy efficient iceberg floating beneath our fears to commit to new technologies.

   Other areas such as Parking Lot lighting, Parking Garages and interior spaces can greatly benefit from this technology. The “instant on” quality of Induction lighting makes it an ideal candidate for numerous control options. Recent collaboration between Get Green Lighting Co and DimOnOff has produced the Smart-Bright System for existing Parking Lot applications. This intelligent Induction lighting system uses two lamps per fixture with the option of shutting off one lamp during late night hours when only security lighting is needed. For existing applications, many of which do not have the option of providing additional control feeds, the DimOnOFF powerline controls allows for the use of the duel controls option without costly reconstruction. Simply change the fixture, install the DimOnOff control panel and tie it into the existing electrical supply. Some simple programming is required and the astronomical time clock takes it from there.

  In large Warehouse spaces Induction high bay lighting can be used to replace 400W HID fixtures. The 200 watt Induction high bay can efficiently and effectively replace these high consuming, environmentally damaging, light sources. Again, control options can be used such as motion detection in spaces seldom used. Another practice that might seem minor, but cost effective, is shutting the fixtures off at lunch time. The absence of re-strike downtime enables these fixtures to be turned on thus providing immediate illumination for safe occupation of work space.

   Induction lighting is certainly not the only energy efficient lighting technology that can help reduce the Nation’s environmental impact. Compact fluorescents and LED’s will have a significant role in reducing our dependence on foreign resources. As a Nation, we need to take advantage of this energy source that is available now. It requires no digging nor is dependant on our relationship with other countries. It doesn’t require nuclear power, or the burning of coal, no off shore drilling expenses. All that is required is the insight to implement these preventive measures, resulting in triumph, not tragedy for generations to come.

Michael Hale

www.getgreenlighting.com