By Dan Carazo

At Lightfair International 2011, marketers of LED lighting filled the exhibit halls. More than 20,000 attendees were able to check out LEDs of every imaginable configuration and wattage for an endless range of applications.

But I found my most interesting experience while attending a seminar entitled “Is LED the Answer?”

Frankly, the presentation was a much needed breath of fresh air. Skillfully delivered by Cheryl Ford, a lighting industry veteran and application marketing manager for OSRAM Sylvania, the presentation provided a sensible even-handed evaluation of LED along with several other energy-efficient lighting choices, comparing their performance, advantages, and disadvantages.

This topic interested me for the simple reason that the constant flow of news and publicity regarding LED lighting technology has nearly drowned out conversation about any other choices among energy-efficient lighting technologies. Fortunately, I was pleased to hear a fair and balanced discussion that aimed to answer the question “When does it make sense to consider using available LED lighting solutions?”

Over the past several years, LED hype—including strong support from the U.S. Department of Energy—has worked overtime in order to convince everyone with a pulse that solid-state lighting, and LED lighting in particular, would conquer the commercial lighting market thanks to its miserly energy consumption.

But hold on! According to Ford’s thoughtful presentation, lighting professionals should carefully compare several factors to determine when LED lighting provides a superior choice, and in so doing, they/we will find other lighting technologies that often make more sense as a current solution.

Some observations and examples from Ford’s discussion included actual measurements made by project lighting designers:

• Total cost of ownership has become a more critical measurement of intrinsic value for a particular lighting technology.
  
• The interest level in induction lighting systems has grown greatly driven by the 100,000-hour lamp life, energy efficiency comparable to LED, and cost effectiveness.
  
• Ceramic metal halide electronic systems provide very efficient and cost-effective track lighting.
  
• Extended life T8 fluorescent systems can deliver 55,000-hour lamp life with many alternatives to choose from, including high-efficiency electronic instant start, type CC and LSC, programmed-start paralleled wired, and bi-level dimming ballasts.
  
• Retrofit replacement using LED low-wattage post-top fixtures can typically save 50% of energy.
  
• General Nutrition Centers’ lighting retrofit project lowered energy costs by $1.1 million annually by replacing 55,000 halogen 75W PAR30 lamps with LED 15W PAR30 track lighting; generating a simple payback in under one year at $0.11/kWh national average.
  
• Higher-wattage LED units can result in sticker shock due to the increased number of LEDs required to boost lumen output.   

It was good to see LED lighting making substantial progress as illustrated by a growing number of successful case study projects. But it was also refreshing to hear a lighting expert clearly point out numerous applications and completed projects where lighting designers had concluded their best choice was a lighting technology other than LED.

Obviously it is a manufacturer’s smartest bet to point out the benefits represented by each lighting technology the company markets. But as shown by this presentation, as promising as LEDs are, there’s still plenty of room for many other lighting solutions.   

Dan Carazo provides B2B marketing services for electrical industry organizations. He can be reached at dcaraz@optonline.net.

By Dan Carazo

The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) had a major impact on metal halide lighting systems rated between 150W and 500W that is meant to make commercial and industrial lighting increasingly more energy efficient.

The EISA federal legislation stipulates that all newly installed metal halide lamp luminaires must now contain a ballast meeting higher minimum electrical efficiency levels.

The EISA calls for building and facility owners to convert new lighting installations for metal halide luminaires ranging from 175W to 400W from probe-start lamps and ballasts to pulse-start lamps and ballasts.

The mandates increased energy efficiency for several high intensity discharge (HID) lighting product categories, including:

• 88% for magnetic pulse-start ballasts
• 94% for magnetic pulse-start ballasts
• 90% for electronic probe-start ballasts rated 250W or less
• 92% for lamps greater than 250W

While EISA does not require replacement of existing lighting installations, all retrofit and new construction lighting installations using metal halide HID systems must now meet these new higher energy-efficiency requirements.

Most affected are high-bay metal halide lamp luminaires installed in industrial and commercial applications. The new, more-efficient pulse-start metal halide lighting is ideal in many factories, warehouses, processing plants, gymnasiums, large retail facilities, parking garages, and commercial interiors, and in many outdoor applications such as roadways, parking lots, and sports stadiums.

Pulse-Start Ideal for Retrofit Upgrades

EISA-compliant metal halide lighting systems offer an excellent market for aggressive consultants, contractors, and distributors across many different types of buildings and facilities.

There are very significant end-user benefits derived from energy-efficient pulse-start metal halide lighting when compared to out-dated incandescent lighting:  

• Reduced wattage per luminaire
• More lumens output per watt
• Pulse-start luminaires can be spaced further apart than can probe-start luminaires, which can reduce the total number of luminaires needed.
• More pulse-start luminaires can be connected per circuit.
• 150W pulse-start lamps deliver equal lumens as do 175W probe-start quartz metal halide lamps and last twice as long.
• New ballasts run much cooler.
• Lower-wattage pulse-start systems reduce electrical costs.
• By installing these more energy-efficient metal halide lighting systems, facility and building owners stand to enjoy significantly lower total cost of ownership—led by substantial electrical cost savings.
• HID lamps provide more light output while using one-fifth the wattage and lasting ten times as long as incandescent lamps. The technology reduces energy consumption,  lasts longer, and reduces operating costs.

Contractors can approach this sizable retrofit opportunity by working closely with distributors and specifying engineers in providing technical support to property managers and facility MROs that begins with a clearly stated value proposition and an accurate ROI calculation based on both energy and maintenance cost savings. 

Dan Carazo provides B2B marketing services for electrical industry organizations. He can be reached at dcaraz@optonline.net.

By Dan Carazo

Does energy efficiency have staying power as an economic driver for the electrical industry?

This is a key concern many distributors face when making important strategic decisions and investments involving their approach to the energy-efficient green electrical market.

These recent examples of business intelligence support the wisdom of embracing energy efficiency as a long-term winner. 

LED field trials in three major cities affirm their superior energy performance

The knock on LED lighting remains comparative cost. However, according to the Climate Group, trial LED lighting programs in New York City; Sydney, Australia; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada, have proven LEDs deliver superior lighting quality as well as significant energy cost savings when compared to traditional lighting products.

LED trials in New York City's Central Park began in October 2009. The Climate Group's analysis of monthly data shows that among the five LED products tested, several showed excellent performance, very little light loss, and negligible color degradation. Economic payback is expected in four to six years, and the public appears to like the new lights. The New York Department of Transportation is now preparing to replace all 1,400 heritage lamps in the park.

After four LED trials of its own, in 2010 Sydney, Australia joined The Climate Group's LED program for a second round of trials using the LightSavers monitoring protocol, testing smart controls, and including a public opinion survey. Based on compelling performance and positive public opinion results the city plans to replace all of its 8,559 street and park lights with LEDs that are expected to deliver a minimum of 40% savings and greenhouse gas reductions.

In Toronto, LED luminaires were tested in city housing garages alongside T8 lamps; both incorporated controls that increase light output when there is movement, allowing the base light output to be set lower. These products operated 24/7 over 6,500 hours—the longest running among the LED trials. The study found no light loss and strong public acceptance of the LED color temperature and controls features, despite their higher cost. The city is preparing to replace the lighting in 30 garages and is creating a procurement consortium with local hospitals and other public agencies to further reduce price.

The Climate Group says that LED lighting trials are clearly showing that the technology performs well, meets or exceeds the expectations of potential adopters, and gains public acceptance as measured by surveys, increasing political support in these three cities.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center (BCLC) and Siemens Corporation announce the winners for the fourth annual Siemens Sustainable Community Awards.

Siemens says the awards recognize three communities from across the country selected because they are implementing sustainable development, including expanded energy-efficiency solutions. The winners represent outstanding local-level efforts to achieve complementary economic, environmental, and quality-of-life goals.

The 2011 Siemens Sustainable Community Award winners are:

• San Jose, Calif.—the Large Community winner has adopted “Green Vision,” a 15-year plan to achieve ambitious goals for economic growth, environmental sustainability, and enhanced quality of life by 2022.
• Raleigh, N.C.—the Mid-Size Community winner plans to be a 21st Century City of Innovation and has created an Environmental Advisory Board, hired a sustainability manager, and created an Office of Sustainability to manage citywide sustainability efforts.
• Greensburg, Kan.—the Small Community winner committed in 2007 to rebuild “green” after 95% of the community was obliterated by a tornado, resulting in the most LEED-platinum buildings per capita in the world, and a wind farm that produces more energy than any similar system in the world.

Siemens recognized San Jose for its sweeping “Green Vision” innovation/sustainability roadmap, demonstrated by the new terminals at the San Jose International Airport achieving LEED Silver certification from the USGBC.  

Profiles of each of the winners and all nine finalist communities are available on the Siemens Sustainable Community Awards website.

Dan Carazo provides B2B marketing services for electrical industry organizations. He can be reached at dcaraz@optonline.net.

By Dan Carazo

Last April, the PV America Conference & Expo was presented in Philadelphia by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).

More than 3,000 attendees and 167 exhibitors showcasing solar technologies, products, and services came together for three days to learn where the U.S. solar industry is heading following its biggest growth year to date.

Event attendees heard much good news regarding the solar industry’s economic expansion in 2010.

The solar installed base experienced scintillating growth, as did utility industry installations and grid-connected systems. In fact, 2010 results suggest that we should keep an eye on solar PV product manufacturers and their markets.

Here are a few reasons why:

• The total size of the U.S. solar market grew by 67% from $3.6 billion to $6 billion in 2010.
• Last year, 52,600 PV systems were grid connected, bringing the U.S. total to more than 152,500.
• In 2010, solar electric installations totaled 956MW.
• Grid-connected PV installations grew 102% over 2009.
• Sixteen states each installed more than 10MW of PV, compared to only four states in 2007.
• Utility PV installations more than tripled compared to 2009.

The positive news included the dispersal of America’s installed PV systems away from the west with New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, and Texas among the top 10 states with new installations.

Surprisingly, the manufacturing of PV components has also escalated here in the United States with year-over-year production of wafers up 97%, cells up 81%, and modules up 62%. 

In case you are unfamiliar with the two sponsoring organizations, SEIA, established in 1974, is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry, while SEPA is an educational non-profit organization dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios.

SEIA works to strengthen the U.S. solar industry through advocacy and education. SEIA represents its 1,000 member companies as the voice of the industry and is actively working to make solar a significant energy source by expanding markets, removing market barriers, strengthening the industry, and educating the public on the benefits of solar energy.

SEPA is an educational non-profit organization with more than 750 utility and solar industry members. Dedicated to helping utilities integrate solar power into their energy portfolios, SEPA provides unbiased utility solar market intelligence, up-to-date information about technologies and business models, as well as peer-to-peer interaction. By hosting national events and through one-on-one counseling, SEPA helps utilities make smart solar decisions.

What’s next?

Despite the stunning growth enjoyed in 2010, according to Benjamin Higgins, director of government affairs for AEESolar, Mainstream Energy, the U.S. solar industry still faces significant challenges.

Chief among these is, “…an inconsistent labyrinth of rules and regulations which complicate and prolong uptake (of solar energy use),” said Higgins at the PV America event explaining that each state and city has its own solar standards.

Additional barriers include a lack of political muscle:

• Republican Party support does not appear to favor renewable energy; the GOP House recently proposed $800 million in cuts from the DOE’s Energy Information Administration  budget.
• Because the solar infrastructure is not yet distributed across a majority of states, the industry has little political clout with U.S. Senators and Congresspersons elected in states that where the solar industry is currently weaker economically.    

However, based on the solar industry’s stunning performance in 2010, it will certainly pay to track what SEIA and SEPA report in the coming months.

Dan Carazo provides B2B marketing services for electrical industry organizations. He can be reached at dcaraz@optonline.net.