Plug In Savings

Words by Jo Reeves

Saving energy cuts costs and combats climate change. The government has agreed to strict emission targets which, if achieved, will require a significant reduction in UK-wide energy usage. In theory it’s a desirable target, but using energy saving equipment often comes hand in hand with significant investment and is undoubtedly one of the contributors towards the slow change to energy efficient products.

As part of the Government movement towards energy efficient lighting there is a drive to reduce the energy consumption of fluorescent lighting. There are currently around 68 million fluorescent tubes in the UK and the quickest and most obvious way for the huge numbers of installations already in existence to achieve such savings would be to switch from conventional electromagnetically ballasted lamps to the new generation of high frequency ballasted and more energy efficient triphosphor tubes.

To encourage sales of these new lamps and maximise on the energy efficiency opportunities offered by the more modern technology, they are being manufactured in a different size – now being shorter in length. This means, in theory, that in order to use the new lamps the ceiling battens (luminaries) also need to be replaced – a huge investment for those with multiple fittings such as schools, hospitals and businesses.

Customers’ reluctance to write off their significant current investment and fund a wholesale luminaire replacement programme has been the key factor preventing wider take-up of the newer high frequency ballasted triphosphor lamps.

However, a retrofit solution, seven years in development, has been designed to combat this huge outlay – a unit that connects the shorter lamp to the longer luminaire without compromising its efficiency in any way.

‘Save It Easy’ high frequency units plug directly on to the ends of T5 or T8 tubes, simultaneously providing appropriate ballast and increasing tube length to fit existing luminaires. UK supplier Energy Conservation Solutions Limited (ECSL) stresses that the range includes units able to convert every size of commonly encountered luminaire, including 2ft T8 and 8ft T12 units.

Combined circuit and lamp energy savings range from 26% to 56% depending on application and the simplicity of plug-in installation reduces down time, relinquishing the need for highly-qualified electricians and avoiding all the problems of new attachments and re-wiring including the issue of asbestos ceiling materials encountered in older buildings.

Kevin Cox, Managing Director of ECSL explains the motives behind the development in new lighting technology: “The drivers towards energy efficiency put in place by UK government mean that business is increasingly being forced to take stock of its energy use – and then there’s the fact of steeply rising energy prices which seem unlikely to fall again. While legislation may not yet categorically enforce the use of the installation of energy efficient lighting, the Government’s strict emission targets ensure that they will do all they can to encourage the use of this kind of technology.”

Case study

Westfield Community College

One example of a successful Save it Easy installation is at Westfield Community Technology College in Hertfordshire. The County Council’s Property Department chose ECSL to convert all linear fluorescent lighting fittings to high frequency operation.

The school has a swimming pool and sports hall on site and is used extensively by the local community in the evenings, weekends and during school holidays, so maximum usage is made of its lights.

All fittings had been designed to accept T12 type lamps but, to reduce energy consumption, a number of switch start units had been fitted with more energy efficient T8 type lamps.

‘Save-it Easy’ units were selected for the conversion after a number of other manufacturers’ components had been considered, because ECSL could provide a solution for all lamp sizes represented on the site and for both switch start and quick start fluorescent ballasts.

The total installation comprised some 1,000 lamp ways and the total connected load of the Westfield College’s lighting installation, before conversion, was in the order of 70kW. After conversion the lighting load was reduced by approximately 40%.

The resulting 42kW connected load gives an annual reduction in electricity consumption estimated at not less than 84,000 kWh and CO2 savings of 36 tonnes annually.

In addition, combining high frequency ballasts with new high efficiency triphosphor tubes is expected roughly to more than double tube life, adding significant economies in both lamp purchase and maintenance to the already substantial energy savings.