Philips Electronics and Eskom have announced Africa’s largest LED lighting deal to date. Under the agreement, 200 000 Philips MasterLED lamps are being distributed by Karebo Systems at discounted prices throughout South Africa to professional users of lighting such as hotels, banks, offices and retail outlets.
The deal is aimed at replacing 50 W halogen bulbs with 7 and 10 W LED lamps. The collective electricity savings potential of this deal is estimated at 58 GWh per year, equal to R41-million.
Based on calculations of 40 to 43 W less power consumption, each lamp has the potential to save 280 kWh of electricity annually, translating to savings of some R200 per lamp. It is estimated that every four lamps installed will save the equivalent of three trees in terms of CO2 absorption – at the switch of a bulb.
According to Eskom senior general manager for Integrated Demand Management Andrew Etzinger, South Africa is facing an energy-constrained future and it is “in Eskom’s interest” to encourage electricity users to reduce consumption where possible.
“Although we are investing in new power stations to generate enough electricity to meet medium-to-long term demand, improved efficiency is the most practical solution to ensuring our electricity supply will be secure in the short-term”.
He said that, as an added benefit, a reduction in electricity consumption brings commercial and industrial consumers’ savings on their cost of business, reduces their impact on the environment and ensures that the country is not confronted with a situation in which demand exceeds supply.
In a separate development, the company announced a new LED street lighting installation in Durban, comprising 149 LED street lights installed in six streets around the Durban International Conference Centre (ICC). These are said to offer energy savings of 47,4 MWh per year or 26% compared with the 250 W metal halide street lights they replace. These street lights can be controlled externally, raising the prospect of further savings by dimming the lights outside peak times.
The installation forms part of a joint initiative by Philips, Eskom, the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) and the eThekwini municipality, to demonstrate the advances being made in energy efficient LED lighting. Research has shown that new LED lighting in general can reduce energy consumption for street lighting in cities by up to 30%.
The Philips Iridium2 street lighting solution was used for the project. It allows local authorities simply to replace the LED light module in future when an upgrade is required without having to change the light fitting or the pole itself. The lights include 112 LEDs providing 21 126 lumens, a colour temperature of 5700°K, 95 lm/W system efficacy, 60 000 hours life and a colour rendering of 68.
Contact John Westermeyer, Philips Lighting, Tel 011 471-5038,
john.westermeyer@philips.com