LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY


Investment in LED lighting can really improve our cities


Energy efficiency measures, such as the retrofitting of smart LEDs, has the potential to have a really positive impact across society in combination with the switch to renewable energy.


CEO at Signify UK&I Nico van der


Merwe www.signify.com/en-gb


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Meanwhile, switching all the light points in the UK alone could reduce CO₂ emissions by 3.9 million tonnes, the amount of emissions that 175 million trees could sequester in a year. Making the switch would also generate electricity savings of 16.1 TWh, which is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of more than 4.3 million households. In both cases, those savings bring the potential to bolster capacity in energy networks for other purposes. Cities are facing pressure to electrify


he transition to green energy and a green economy can take root in our cities. Energy efficiency has clear and


tangible benefits and there is one area in which cities can take quick action to reduce both emissions and costs – light ing. Whether it be lighting up the homes, city streets, offices, factories or other commercial and municipal buildings, lighting has huge potential to lower a city’s carbon footprint and to do so quickly. Approximately 35% of the world’s


lighting points are still conventional. In Europe and the US, which lag much of Asia in the switch to greener lighting, this figure is even higher at 50%. What this demonstrates, though, is the huge potential for transition in the coming years. If we apply the 10/20/70 model,


where 10% of our efforts are inspiration, 20% aspiration, and 70% perspiration, the time has come to give full focus to perspiration and getting the job done. At COP27 a financing agreement for climate loss and damage was agreed, but without an increase in the speed and urgency of climate action the loss and damage suffered will be beyond what anybody can afford.


With the adoption of technology such as smart LED lighting, cities are not only taking immediate action to improve the quality of their environment, they are providing greater social, financial and ecological benefits in the future. For example, World Council on City Data shows LED implementation can reduce night-time traffic incidents by about 30%, and reduce street crime by 20%. Business models for technology suppliers into cities also need to shift, from invoicing for hardware to leasing hardware and services and taking away much, if not all, of the upfront costs that can prove prohibitive to green lighting projects. Lighting-as- a-service, for example, brings forward lifetime benefits that are divided over


EIBI | FEBRUARY 2024


a certain number of years through a service agreement, reducing the need for big upfront capital investment and budget requirements. These service agreements illustrate that it’s as important that the business model is sustainable for the long term as the product is.


Lighting has a role to play in reducing demand-side carbon emissions


With the EU’s Green Deal, the UK’s


Lighting has huge potential to lower a city's carbon footprint and to do so quickly


ten-point plan and other equivalent strategies emerging around the world, there is a lot of focus currently on what I’d call ‘the supply side’ – the supply side of the energy mix, where there are calls for alternative gas, the scaling of renewables, and even nuclear and hydrogen. I believe there must be more focus on the demand side itself where the potential for quicker acceleration on efficiency exists. Importantly, the demand side industries provide both active and passive energy efficiency technologies and solutions. Lighting companies like Signify or building management sensor companies are facilitating the green transition with active digital technologies that will help us finally make the shift away from fossil fuel. They are also the drivers of economic growth and the green economy. But as well as the digital solutions, it is important to recognise the part played by the demand-side industries in the more passive parts of the efficiency process such as insulation and triple-glazing. These will similarly drive growth and provide many jobs for the future, particularly around retrofitting.


Implementing LED technology can reduce night-time traffic incidents by about 30%


Why start with lighting? Smart LED lighting has the highest relative cost saving of any replacement technology. In Europe, this amounts to a saving of 65 billion euros depending on energy rates, and also brings the potential to reduce CO₂ emissions by 51 million tonnes.


public services and amenities, such as transport and heating, as part of their climate action push. Yet by transitioning to LED lighting at scale, we can save enough energy to power almost 50 million heat pumps or charge 55 million electric vehicles for a year. And there are benefits for households too. For an average British household, switching to LED lighting can help save up to £250 per year (i.e., £15-£18 per light bulb). These savings are bound to increase with every change in price cap.


What can be done In terms of encouraging the switch more broadly in cities among citizens, subsidies can be very effective but only when rolled out in the right way. In the current energy crisis, governments are implementing schemes to subsidise energy bills for consumers and businesses continuously. It doesn’t necessarily bring about energy savings and doesn’t treat the root cause of the problem. At some point, subsidies will need to be paid back and the lighting will need to be replaced, so municipalities or building owners effectively have to deal with the problem twice. Instead, what if the subsidy


were switched out for a retrofitting measure, like LED lamps? It provides immediate energy- and cost-savings and means you only have to deal with the problem once. For example, if you provided 10,000 households with five LED lamps to replace traditional lighting in their homes, the collective energy bill saving would increase manifold. Additionally, energy savings would total 4,372 MWh (equivalent to the annual recharging of 2,144 electric cars), and would result in 1,115 fewer tons of CO₂ being emitted (equal to the amount captured by 20,000 trees) for Europe.


Lighting as an industry has a vital


role in reducing carbon emissions and having a positive role in the UK’s green journey. It is an industry that constantly evolves, embracing technological advancements and pushing the boundaries of innovation. ■


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