Seeing the light
February 1st 2008 The CO2 emissions from a single typical warehouse light fixture are equivalent to one adult's share of the CO2 emissions on a full international flight from London Heathrow to Denver in the USA; and back again, says Keith Wyatt, the United Kingdom Warehousing Association's (UKWA) honorary adviser on Environmental matters
Much of the recent Government, media and public attention on environmental issues relating to greenhouse gas emissions has been directed on the areas of commercial air travel and vehicle emissions.
However, CO2 emissions from commercial air travel are currently less than of 5% of total UK levels. Fears are that emissions from air travel will increase dramatically in the next 30 years. While clearly this is an important matter, UK industry already accounts for 55% of the nation's current emissions!
Although the ability to make changes in industrial policy does not directly lie with every member of the UK population in the same way as car and air travel choices do, the policy decisions in the hands of company executives could effect a major change if there was real decisiveness and less high profile 'green washing.' Substantial reduction Take for example one easy and clear area for substantial reduction in CO2 emissions; industrial and commercial lighting. Most organisations (and individuals) take lighting for granted and not only think it does not cost significant money to run residential, commercial or industrial lighting, but, therefore, by association do not consider that attention to lighting installations will have any real effect on greenhouse gas emissions.
Let us however, consider one typical fitting, which is a common fixture seen in any warehouse, industrial production facility, warehouse style retail outlet or even sports hall across the UK. Many warehouses and distribution centres will have hundreds if not thousands of such light fittings burning all day, all week, all year as they work to meet the demands of the logistics industry. Just one 400W high pressure sodium or metal halide light fitting which is burning 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 52 weeks per year is responsible for the emissions of 1.69 tonnes of CO2 per year. That's 1.69 tonnes from the burning of one light bulb for one year. Let us put that in context of the aforementioned vehicle or air travel topics.
For a typical medium sized 1.5 litre family saloon car to generate the same CO2 emissions it would have to travel 14083 km - this for many people is their annual mileage.
The CO2 emissions from that one light fixture is also equivalent to one adult's share of the CO2 emissions on a full international flight from London Heathrow to Denver in the USA; and back again! A warehouse or industrial facility therefore with 300 to 400 lights is equivalent to the whole aeroplane! There are obviously literally thousands of warehouses and industrial facilities across the UK, with potentially millions of such light fittings or equivalents, many burning 24/7, but what can be done to affect this matter.
Obviously warehouses or production facilities cannot work in the dark.
Until recently there was not a viable replacement option for industrial lighting which is suspended from heights up to 16m.
Whilst some low energy fluorescent fittings can be effective at lower mounting heights, the increased numbers needed above 6m to match the light levels delivered by conventional industrial lighting would negate any energy savings.
In the last year, however, my company – Somar International – has been working with businesses such as Rolls-Royce , British Ceramic Tile, Heinz and Imerys to demonstrate that significant savings can be delivered whilst maintaining or even increasing light levels within industrial scenarios up to 16m.
The savings delivered by Somar's Powerboss Eluma Intelligent Lighting solutions are typically in the region of 60% to 80% of the lighting energy usage and costs within such a facility. Warehouse lighting can account for 50%, 60% or even higher percentages of a site's entire electrical energy bill.
These savings are delivered through the highly efficient design of the patented lighting fitting itself and also a built-in sensor which senses both ambient daylight and the presence, or lack of presence of workers in the vicinity. The fittings are then automatically dimmed/brightened or switched off/on individually in order to maximise savings.
At British Ceramic Tile (BCT) in Newton Abbott 370 x 400W metal halide fittings were replaced by Powerboss Eluma and not only is BCT saving in excess of £87,000 per annum but a 75% reduction of CO2 emissions (approximately 500 tonnes CO2) has been delivered.
Change of habit
The Government, through the Carbon Trust, has tried to create a marketplace where companies will target energy related projects by making 0% free loans and free energy surveys available, yet despite £20 million being available to UK SMEs this year, in the past the Carbon Trust has struggled to give it away.
In essence, it could be argued that the current policies, however valuable, will simply make a few people feel guilty about driving their cars or going on holiday; people who ultimately will pay the extra tax and still travel. Whilst there is a definite requirement in certain areas for policies which are focused on change of habit, by embracing new technologies – such as Soma's Powerboss – within industry, environmental benefits can be generated without hindering, and indeed enhancing, current working methods.
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