America moving to energy efficient lighting
The future appears bright for the next generation
By Poder Staff
A revolution in more efficient interior and exterior lighting has quietly been going on for the last three or four years in the United states, but is just beginning to catch alight in Latin America. That presents huge opportunities for companies to cash in with the right, affordable technologies. Accumbens Corporation is well equipped and ready to effectively and efficiently face the challenge.
“The transition in the household sector is well underway in Latin America, and the rest will follow” says Lionel Ramirez, president and CEO of GE Lighting for Latin America. Last year Mexico announced the gradual phasing out of traditional household incandescent lighting between 2012 and 2014, as well as a program to distribute 47 million new-generation CFL bulbs to low-income families. Every family in the program dubbed “Sustainable Lighting” will receive four CFL bulbs. Argentina has announced a similar program, and Brazil, Colombia and Cuba have already enforced new energy efficiency lighting standards.
In Latin America the cost of energy is on average about two to three times higher than in he US, so energy efficient products make even greater economic sense. Constraints in power generation in Latin America are an additional incentive, as governments need to find ways to reduce consumption. One way to attack the problem is lighting, which accounts for 19 percent of all energy consumed globally, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. In some Latin America Countries it is as high as 25 percent, suggesting a higher dependence on older, energy-efficient technology.
The new CFL bulbs can replace a 100-watt incandescent lamp with only 23-25 watts, representing 75 percent saving, explains Ramirez. The lifespan of the new CFL bulbs (12,000 hours) is also more than 10 times that of the older ones.
That leaves commercial office buildings, which tend to use lineal fluorescent lighting tubes. GE, Accumbens and other companies are already beginning to introduce 9-watt energy smart LED Lamps (costing around US$50). This gives the equivalent lumens of a 40-watt fluorescent tube, although the latter still remains a far cheaper option at only US$2. “It will take time to move to LED because of the cost”, Ramirez says.
New technology is also moving into outdoor public lighting, such as street lamps and parking lots. The most common technology is high pressure sodium (HPS) which sheds a soft, yellowish light. But companies are now introducing outdoor LED lamps.
In December 2010, the Mexican municipality of Othon Blanco Quintana Roo announced the installation of 25,000 fixtures, with an estimated 51 percent energy savings. Othon Blanco, with a population of 220,000 is the fifth largest municipality in Mexico in land area and is popular eco-tourism destination.
The newer bulbs have a lifespan f 10 years, proving large savings in maintenance and replacement costs. HPS lights lose their lumens output gradually over time, dropping to 60 percent after 10 years, while the LED are more consistent and retain 85 percent or more of their lumens after 10 years.
LED lamps also offer cheaper lighting, known as the color rendering index (CRI) helps distinguish objects better. “We like to say you have a full moon effect”, Ramirez says. This has a social impact by improving community’s sense of security, compared to the softer HPS lighting. The LED technology also provides a better lighting for security cameras. “Some municipalities are already looking more at LED because economies of the payback is already there, more so than for households”, Ramirez says.
The new pressures for energy efficiency, coupled with Latin America’s economic resurgence, mean that GE and Accumbens are optimistic about the potential for its sales growth.
The future appears bright for the next generation
By Poder Staff
A revolution in more efficient interior and exterior lighting has quietly been going on for the last three or four years in the United states, but is just beginning to catch alight in Latin America. That presents huge opportunities for companies to cash in with the right, affordable technologies. Accumbens Corporation is well equipped and ready to effectively and efficiently face the challenge.
“The transition in the household sector is well underway in Latin America, and the rest will follow” says Lionel Ramirez, president and CEO of GE Lighting for Latin America. Last year Mexico announced the gradual phasing out of traditional household incandescent lighting between 2012 and 2014, as well as a program to distribute 47 million new-generation CFL bulbs to low-income families. Every family in the program dubbed “Sustainable Lighting” will receive four CFL bulbs. Argentina has announced a similar program, and Brazil, Colombia and Cuba have already enforced new energy efficiency lighting standards.
In Latin America the cost of energy is on average about two to three times higher than in he US, so energy efficient products make even greater economic sense. Constraints in power generation in Latin America are an additional incentive, as governments need to find ways to reduce consumption. One way to attack the problem is lighting, which accounts for 19 percent of all energy consumed globally, according to the Paris-based International Energy Agency. In some Latin America Countries it is as high as 25 percent, suggesting a higher dependence on older, energy-efficient technology.
The new CFL bulbs can replace a 100-watt incandescent lamp with only 23-25 watts, representing 75 percent saving, explains Ramirez. The lifespan of the new CFL bulbs (12,000 hours) is also more than 10 times that of the older ones.
That leaves commercial office buildings, which tend to use lineal fluorescent lighting tubes. GE, Accumbens and other companies are already beginning to introduce 9-watt energy smart LED Lamps (costing around US$50). This gives the equivalent lumens of a 40-watt fluorescent tube, although the latter still remains a far cheaper option at only US$2. “It will take time to move to LED because of the cost”, Ramirez says.
New technology is also moving into outdoor public lighting, such as street lamps and parking lots. The most common technology is high pressure sodium (HPS) which sheds a soft, yellowish light. But companies are now introducing outdoor LED lamps.
In December 2010, the Mexican municipality of Othon Blanco Quintana Roo announced the installation of 25,000 fixtures, with an estimated 51 percent energy savings. Othon Blanco, with a population of 220,000 is the fifth largest municipality in Mexico in land area and is popular eco-tourism destination.
The newer bulbs have a lifespan f 10 years, proving large savings in maintenance and replacement costs. HPS lights lose their lumens output gradually over time, dropping to 60 percent after 10 years, while the LED are more consistent and retain 85 percent or more of their lumens after 10 years.
LED lamps also offer cheaper lighting, known as the color rendering index (CRI) helps distinguish objects better. “We like to say you have a full moon effect”, Ramirez says. This has a social impact by improving community’s sense of security, compared to the softer HPS lighting. The LED technology also provides a better lighting for security cameras. “Some municipalities are already looking more at LED because economies of the payback is already there, more so than for households”, Ramirez says.
The new pressures for energy efficiency, coupled with Latin America’s economic resurgence, mean that GE and Accumbens are optimistic about the potential for its sales growth.
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