If there is one clear disappointing message about energy systems it is that they are not being managed properly, according to Vickers Energy Group, who claim that British warehouses are missing out on savings of up to 80% on their energy bills. Given that lighting can typically account for over half of all warehouse energy costs it makes sense to concentrate on lighting. The urgency to re-assess all of a business’s energy costs has taken a new turn recently because there may be power cuts this winter and beyond owing to supply capability cuts.
Despite all the advances in intelligent lighting controls, particularly with LED lights, Vickers believes that their study into wasted energy in the warehouse sector during the summer months, when energy bills are less pressing, shows a crying need to manage systems properly because they are often used for far too long a period or at a higher temperature than need be. This is why lighting specialists like B&T Lighting incorporate controls like occupancy sensing and daylight harvesting, which they claim help reduce lighting energy costs by up to 95% compared with 50% for ordinary LED lamps.
There are, however, other problems or barriers that are holding back what is clearly a sure-fire investment, typically delivering an ROI of between 1-3 years. One problem seems to be the time involved in identifying and implementing energy-savings solutions, but a bigger one, believes lighting specialist, Dialight, is the capex issue and the reluctance to put an investment in energy saving technology on the balance sheet. This is puzzling given the Government incentives to ease the way into more efficient lighting.
These incentives include the Carbon Trust interest-free loan available to SMEs and all enterprises in Wales and Northern Ireland. Loan repayments are calculated to be offset by one’s monthly energy savings, effectively paying for itself. Loans are unsecured for sums between £3,000 and £100,000 and repayable over 12-48 months. The Carbon Trust will also offer free advice about the options and another free helpful source is the United Kingdom Warehouse Association. The enhanced capital allowance scheme is another government initiative to promote investment in energy-saving projects. This provides 100% first-year capital allowances on investment against taxable profits. Lighting suppliers also offer various leasing options that help reduce tax liability on profits.
Energy savings from using the most appropriate lighting with intelligent controls is the biggest investment justification but other benefits are not inconsiderable. Much longer lasting than other lighting systems like metal halide, LEDs can seriously cut the cost and risks of maintenance. They deliver much better lighting and so cut the accident rate. HPS lamps degrade over time and poor lighting affects 60-year old forklift drivers much more so than 20-year olds because they need six times as much light to discern objects clearly. Traditional lights also contain hazardous material, leading to additional disposal costs, and they are susceptible to damage from shock and vibration. With better appropriate lighting the workforce is likely to be more productive because they will not have to cope with poor spectral content and colour rendering, which leads to visual fatigue and confusion when working with coloured wires, liquids, objects or smoke.
The best results for energy savings will arise, of course, from taking a holistic view of the whole warehouse/factory energy issue. The greatest potential comes when one has the luxury of developing a new greenfield site. Rapid roll doors, especially at loading bays, can yield good energy savings and, of course, the overall size of the building needs careful consideration. Should one, therefore, waste much energy, particularly crucial in cold stores, by having the footprint larger than it need be? A switch from an all counterbalance forklift truck operation to an articulated forklift approach would allow up to 50% more pallet locations within a given cube. That translates into big energy savings.
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