Global Warming Solutions

If anybody out there still questions the technology behind LEDs, here’s yet another reason to stop doubting. LEDs are joining the ranks of some of the most sophisticated technological innovations known to man; we’re talking man-on-the-moon and ice-on-mars stuff. That’s right; LEDs are going to outer space. NASA has agreed to a two-year commitment with Lighting Science (an LED manufacturer) to develop a “high illumination and good color rendering LED light fixture for space exploration,” according to a Lighting Science Corporation press release.

It’s only fitting then that LEDs are the chosen light source to accompany man into the ethers. After all, their long lasting, high quality and durable attributes make them perfect for space travel. LEDs can withstand extremes of both high and low temperatures, and their smooth dimming and color-changing capabilities make them easily adaptable to the ever-changing conditions of space. The NASA-grade LED prototype will be developed to meet standards for space travel in such areas as “control, vibration, off-gassing, electromagnetic interference and other spacecraft issues.” One of NASA’s goals for the LED fixture is that it help them learn how to aid astronauts in establishing and maintaining healthy sleep patterns in space, a notoriously difficult task. Fred Maxik of Lighting Science says, “We hope to not only improve circadian rhythm management for our astronauts but, also to learn something that will help the millions of people who struggle with these issues here on Earth.”

You don’t have to journey into the unknown with NASA to benefit from LED Lighting. A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lighting may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

LED lighting is (almost) there

Posted by Gennaro Brooks-Church

November 14, 2009

Here is an interesting cost comparison between LED, CFL and incandescent. I have not checked the numbers but they seem pretty accurate. They clearly show that over the life of the bulb it makes a lot of sense to buy LED.

What the numbers do not show are the quality. I’ve tried a lot of the LEDs on the market and they still lack the quality of an incandescent. One of my colleagues says he saw a blind test where people preferred CFL lighting over incandescent and I can understand that. Some of the CFL’s available now are really great.

But the LEDs I’ve tested still have issues. The multi diode with refractory lense ones are the best but they still feel very white “spotlight”. They are getting damn close, though. And for an increasing number of home applications they are by far the best choice.

Sort of on a tangent, one of the clear benefits of using good LEDs in a Brooklyn brownstone that has old electrical wiring is that they decrease the electrical load on the house. This means less runs down to the basement to switch the circuit breaker back on!

When Eco Brooklyn does a green renovation on a Brooklyn brownstone one of the first things we do is address the electrical load on the house. Energy star appliances, timers, dimmers, LEDs or CFLs all reduce the load directly. Insulation, passive solar heating, and good air design reduce the load indirectly since you don’t need the electric heater or air conditioner as much.

Anyway, below is a great breakdown of costs from EarthEasy.com

Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs

	LED	CFL	Incandescent
Light bulb projected lifespan	50,000 hours	10,000 hours	1,200 hours
Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts)	6	14	60
Cost per bulb	$35.95	$3.95	$1.25
KWh of electricity used over 50,000 hours	300	700	3000
Cost of electricity (@ 0.20per KWh)	$60	$140	$600
Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use	1	5	42
Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense	$35.95	$19.75	$52.50
Total cost for 50k hours	$95.95	$159.75	$652.50

Energy Savings over 50,000 hours, assuming 25 bulbs per household:

Total cost for 30 bulbs	$2398.75	$3993.75	$16,312.50
Savings to household by switching from incandescents	$13,913.75	$12,318.75	0

“LED light bulbs will eventually be what we use to replace incandescent bulbs – CFLs are a temporary solution to energy-efficient lighting. The reason LEDs have not yet displaced CFLs from the market are twofold: the first generation LED bulbs had a narrow and focused light beam, and the cost of the LED bulbs was too high.

Recent developments in LED technology, however, have been addressing these issues. LEDs have been ‘clustered’ to provide more light, and mounted within diffuser lenses which spread the light across a wider area. And advancements in manufacturing technology have driven the prices down to a level where LED bulbs are more cost-effective than CFLs or incandescent bulbs. This trend is continuing, with LED bulbs being designed for more applications while the prices are going down over time.

The ’sticker shock’ of the new LEDs remains a deterrent to their widespread acceptance by consumers. The following comparison charts illustrate the value of the latest LED bulbs when compared with CFLs and incandescents for overall efficiency as well as cost-effectiveness.”

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This article provides further evidence showing how a significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lighting may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years. You should also consider the government incentives that are now available to assist with these investment costs – you could be cash flow positive fro the day your new lights are switched on.

A certain eco-conscious purveyor of roasted beans (rhymes with dar-nucks) has announced plans to adopt solid state lighting in more than 8,000 stores by the end of next year. Utilizing GE lighting solutions, Starbucks has already “converted” more than 1,000 U.S. locations, with plans to address the international market in March 2010.

According to Michael Petras, president and CEO of GE Consumer & Industrial’s lighting and electrical business, “Starbucks (sic) aggressive moves on the conservation front will have far-reaching environmental and financial impacts. Other GE customers will benefit from these achievements.”

Owing to the LED conversion, Starbucks projects a 7% worldwide reduction in energy use. Ultimately, the company is aiming for a 25% reduction by the end of 2010.

Just like Starbucks, every business and individual can play their part in the fight against climate change. A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lighting may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years. Government funding initiatives are now available that can enable electricity cost reductions on implementation of the low energy lights.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to use LED lights inside 650 new and renovated stores.

Cree Inc. has been selected to handle the installation, which involves replacing ceramic metal halide in the produce and electronics department, according to a press release.

Wal-Mart is going with Cree’s LRP-38, a PAR38 style LED lamp, which is designed to last 50,000 hours and consume 82 percent less energy than the 70-watt ceramic metal halide bulbs it replaces.

The lighting retrofit comes as part of Wal-Mart’s Project Impact, which will see through a remodeling and repositioning of many locations. Wal-Mart already has remodeled about 30 percent of U.S. stores and plans to have remodeled or built out 70 percent of its stores to the new standard by 2012.

Wal-Mart is looking to a host of options as it seeks to reduce energy use.

Wal-Mart’s goal to double the amount of solar power it uses over the next 18 months. In April, Wal-Mart installed solar at 18 Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores, along with two warehouses in California and Hawaii. It also has rooftop installations underway at 10 to 20 stores and distribution centers in California.

The company also has added solar to facilities in Puerto Rico.

Everyone can emulate Wal-Mart in this way. A substantial amount of electricity can be saved by implementing LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lighting may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

DURHAM, N.C., OCTOBER 29, 2009 — Today, at the annual Cree (Nasdaq: CREE) shareholder meeting, Cree Chairman and CEO Chuck Swoboda demonstrated an A-lamp LED light bulb with the highest lumen output and efficacy reported in the industry. The bulb produces 969 lumens at an impressive 102 lumens per watt, which is the light output equivalent to a 65-watt incandescent bulb, yet it uses only 9.5 watts.

The demonstration A-19-style bulb features the latest Cree production XLamp® XP-G LEDs and TrueWhite Technology, a patented method of delivering warm-white light with superior color rendering and efficiency. It delivers a 2800 K warm-white light with a 91 CRI. All data was verified by third-party testing under steady-state operating conditions.

“We are pushing the industry by demonstrating what’s possible,” said Swoboda. “With every improvement in LED components, new applications become achievable. We are excited to show the world not only what can be done, but what they should expect in an LED light bulb.”

A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lights may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

New technologies are making it possible for commercial businesses to reduce energy consumption and lessen their environmental footprint. Many U.S. companies are taking advantage of tax incentives for projects that have major impact on energy reduction such as LED lighting retrofits, which can cut electricity costs by 80 percent.

The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005 offers tax incentives to energy-efficient commercial buildings. Any building that can cut its lighting power density by 25-50 percent is eligible to receive a tax reduction of 60 cents per square foot.

By converting to LED bulbs, companies can reduce their light electric output by 80 percent. Not only do LED users see immediate reductions in their energy bills, they also receive government endorsed tax incentives for making their buildings more energy efficient.

The change to LED lighting also eases buildings’ impact on the environment. Aside from reducing the amount of electricity used, updating bulbs has a not so obvious impact on CO2 emissions. Over 65 percent of American electricity is produced from burning coal. It is estimated that for every $1 of electricity you save, you reduce carbon discharge by 8 pounds.

An LED lighting retrofit and financing provider in the Philadelphia area has taken this new technology a step further and created a lending program for commercial businesses looking to make the switch. LED Saving Solutions has a comprehensive lending program that allows companies to reap the benefits of this new lighting technology without ever seeing an initial capital outlay or an increase in their net operating cost. The program is cash flow positive from the very first month.

“We have recently established some ground-breaking international production and financing relationships that reduce up-front costs to $0 for property owners,” says Charlie Szoradi, president of LED Saving Solutions. “We literally take all of the risk of replacing the bulbs, and we only get paid on a portion of the savings results each month.”

Case studies help to illustrate the value. A major east coast hotel with significant convention and meeting rooms had a run rate of just over 5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) per year for its lighting. The annualized lighting cost for 2009 is $492,000 and with deregulation in 2010 the cost could increase to over $690,000. With the new LED lighting retrofit, the electricity consumption will drop to just over 665,000 kWh. The cost for 2010 will be just under $90,000. That is an annual savings of $600,000. For a million square feet, the $.60 per square feet tax deduction adds up to another $600,000. In a 33 percent tax bracket, the net to bottom line savings are $200,000.

Since the Led Saving Solutions finance team is structuring the loan, the hotel will have a zero up-front expense and they will put money in their pocket every month for years to come and get a great bonus at tax time.

Users of LED lighting simultaneously increase their financial savings and decrease negative impact on the environment. The benefits are obvious, and it is only a matter of time before people realize the significance of that light above their head.

A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lights may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years. Companies who take advantage of the tax incentives will recover their investment in an even shorter time period.

A California grocery store was recently built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards, incorporating energy and water reduction measures, efficient lighting and recycled materials.

The Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Cathedral City, Calif., just opened the store’s first certified LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council. The construction used 90 percent recycled steel and typically Fresh & Easy’s stores incorporate solar tracking skylights, automatically dimming lights, and LED lighting.

Fresh & Easy’s stores are typically 10,000 square feet, smaller than the typical supermarket, and use 30 percent less energy. Fresh & Easy recycles or reuses all of its shipping and display materials and uses environmentally-friendly trailers to transport food.

Fresh & Easy currently has 127 stores in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, with 71 stores in Southern California. The company is a pilot member of the LEED Volume Certification Program and has invested in a 500,000 sq ft solar roof installation on its distribution center in Riverside, Calif.

Being Green is good for Business.

Every business and individual can play their part in the fight against climate change. A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lighting may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

By switching to high bay LED lighting, the Bowden Ice Arena in Alberta was able to decrease the amount of energy used on lighting by 28 percent, while increasing the amount of light put into play.

With fixtures mounted 16 feet from the ice level, the use of LEDs resulted in an increase in light from 50 foot-candles to 80, an improvement of 60 percent. The energy consumption, meanwhile, dropped from 458 watts to 325 watts, according to a press release.

Previously, the arena used fluorescent high-bay lighting.

The fast-pace of hockey benefits from having brighter LEDs, said Andy Weiss, Bowden Administrative Services Manager.

LEDs perform better in the cold interior of the arena than fluorescents, said Jason Korbelik, Sales Manager at Albeo Technologies, which manufactured the lighting.

Every business and individual can play their part in the fight against climate change. A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lights may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

American Airlines parent company AMR Corp. plans to replace 1,600 lights in its parking garage with energy-efficient LED lights to save $130,000 a year.

That’s not a lot of money for one of the largest airlines in the world, but these days, every penny counts.

The switch to light-emitting diode technology is part of a program offered by Oncor. Oncor, the regulated utility that operates North Texas power lines, will give AMR $362,887 in incentives to change the lights. The incentives are part of Oncor’s Take a Load Off, Texas, program.

AMR spokesman Tim Wagner wouldn’t say how much the switch will cost the airline. He said American will recoup the investment through cost savings in 16 to 18 months.

This is a big example of how simply changing your light bulbs can save you money. Try it at home, and watch your electricity bill shrink.

You might not be able to save as much as American Airlines, but everyone needs to know that a significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lights may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.

Panasonic has launched a new household LED lightbulb in Japan that it says lasts 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

The screw-in bulbs are part of the EverLed line, and they’re scheduled to hit stores in Japan on October 21, with monthly production at 50,000 units. No changes to lighting equipment used for incandescents are required.

If used an average of five and a half hours per day, the new bulbs can last up to 19 years, according to Panasonic. That’s 40 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

The bulbs use only an eighth the power of incandescents. That means a 60-watt-equivalent LED bulb would cost only 300 yen (about $3) a year instead of 2,380 yen ($25.80)–a significant savings over a lifetime.

Panasonic hasn’t set a price for the new EverLeds, but Nikkei suggests standard versions will cost about 4,000 yen (about $40).

LED bulbs aren’t new. Their relatively high cost is one factor keeping them from gaining popularity, but in Japan at least, Panasonic represents about 50 percent of the domestic bulb market. That means EverLeds should raise the LED profile there considerably.

Panasonic is also doing market research to launch EverLeds in the U.S., Europe, and Southeast Asia.

Bulbs that last up to 19 years, according to Panasonic. That is a hell of a long time! Can’t wait to try them though, should make a big difference to the electricity bill.

A significant amount of electricity can be saved by utilising LED Lights in place of your existing lighting technology. LED Lights may require a more substantial investment initially, but with many years of maintenance free operation and low electricity usage, pay back can usually be achieved within 2 years.