Lighting the way on energy efficiency

If California hopes to slash greenhouse gas emissions, driving a lot less is probably Job No. 1. Considering the long-term challenges on that front, let's look at Job No. 2: Energy efficiency. After all, what's cleaner than the energy you never use?

You may know that the state and its utilities have been big pushers of CFLs [compact fluorescent lights], which last longer and use less energy than a standard light bulb. Those have saved lots of watts, but technology is already moving on to light-emitting diodes, or LEDs [also known as solid state lighting].

Thanks in part to lighting test laboratories like the one run by Southern California Edison, LEDs are showing up in under-cabinet kitchen lighting, recessed can-style ceiling lights, commercial signs and retail parking lots.

"We've been doing a lot of testing of these, and our customers are real interested in what they do," said Gregg Ander, chief architect in Edison's design and engineering services arm. "Generally, efficiencies have improved with solid state lighting in the last year by 20% to 25%, and costs have come down between 20% and 40%."

Lighting accounts for up to a third of Edison's daily energy load. Air conditioners, during normal hours, suck up 25% of the power, and more during heat waves and other peak usage periods.

On Wednesday, the utility opened up its energy-use testing labs in Irwindale and passed out awards to commercial and government partners, such as Santa Clara-based Watt Stopper/Legrand, that have helped propel more efficient technologies to the market. Products tested in its lighting lab were featured in a demonstration kitchen and its "office of the future."

The utility runs a related lab that tests power-saving air conditioning technologies. There, engineers and manufacturers are working on units that will operate more efficiently in the hot, dry climates of California. Today's models were built with Chicago and Miami in mind, Ander said.

Edison also works on refrigeration -- one project involved companies reconfiguring cases for the reach-in refrigerators common to grocery stores. That product will be added to the state's rebate program next year, following the path taken by many other energy efficiency advances that were vetted in labs like Edison's.

To check out what you can do, hit Edison's Rebates & Savings page, or sign up for related classes. Read up on the testing and program reports from the state's major investor-owned utilities. After all, you and the state's other electricity customers are paying for the effort.

Check out Southern California Gas Co.'s rebates for homes and for businesses. Or see Pacific Gas & Electric's rebate programs for businesses and homes, and learn more about its energy testing center.

San Diego Gas & Electric Co.'s rebate programs for homes are here and businesses are here. Los Angeles folks can find the Department of Water & Power's residential offerings here; and its non-residential programs here.

For more information, visit the California Lighting Technology Center and the Energy Efficiency Center at the University of California at Davis, the California Energy Commission's energy efficiency page and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy.

-- Elizabeth Douglass

Photo: Teren Abear, a member of Edison's lighting team, and Jane Chadesh of power management systems company Convia, at the lighting lab.Credit: Southern California Edison

Comments

[Tam Hunt]

Great piece. LEDs are one of the more promising technologies for improving our economy's efficiency even further.

[Go Green]

FYI--Want everyone to know about Kilowatt Ours, the documentary by environmentalist Jeff Barrie that takes viewers on a solution-based trip through energy issues and concerns. It’s airing on PBS in major cities across the country during October, which is National Energy Awareness Month.

It’s also being shown on college campuses, in government meetings and town halls all over the country to help educate everyone that their actions can make a difference.

The website actually has instructions on how to host a community screening. http://www.kilowattours.org/screening.php. It will connect you with the Kilowatt team in your region, who can assist with logistics and give you access to the screening promotional materials.

This is not about preaching or berating, but rather about showing the average Joe how he can live a greener life.

[Nicholas Sandoval]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

I work for an energy efficiency company and just dropped off a proposal where the return on investment was 136%...crazy!!!

Retrofitting your facility will show you about a 40% savings on energy and replacing your existing HID 400 Watt fixture with energy efficient ones will save you 55%. And with the utility companies willing to pay for half of the project, it makes profitability enormous.

I can do a free survey of any facility in Southern California to see if the project is worth researching further.

310.800.5882
or
nicholass@yalechase.com

Nicholas Sandoval

[Julia Robinson Shimizu]

It's not just the business model that matters - although kudos to every effort moving us towards energy efficiency in the workplace - it's the ongoing day to day personal commitment to change that really makes a difference. BREATHE LA environmental education program O24u teaches kids to reduce, reuse, recycle. Simple personal commitment can create enormous change overall.