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Lighting can account for a big slice of electricity bills, and with the cost of power rising and penny-pinching on everyone's agenda, a switch to advanced systems could be the answer, says Emma Rink

If only inventing the light bulb had been as simple as flicking a switch. Thomas Edison and his associates spent two years testing more than 3,000 filaments for the glass bulbs, crafted from his own blowing shed. The result was the first commercially practical incandescent light, swiftly mass-produced for use in homes and businesses across the globe.

Fast-forward to the 21st century and Edison can be proud. His pioneering invention has evolved into sophisticated lighting systems fundamental to big companies and individual homes alike. But it comes at a price.

Lighting is estimated to account for up to 25% of electricity bills in production facilities and a massive 60% in storage and warehousing. What's more, rising electricity prices and an uncertain economy mean these figures are unlikely to decrease. This equates to a huge amount of money and energy.

Yet there is hope, and a number of businesses in the packaging industry are saving on financial and environmental costs by switching on to advanced lighting systems. One such company is bag and pouch equipment manufacturer Automated Packaging Systems (APS). Productions operation manager Craig Dockery explains APS's move to low-energy bulbs.

Efficiency boost
"For more than 10 years our premises were illuminated by metal halide lights, which we knew were probably inefficient," he says. Each 800-watt halide lamp cost around £300 to run continually per year and emitted the CO2 equivalent of driving a family saloon car 14,000km. APS installed a total of 158 low-energy Eluma fittings across its Worcestershire facility. The lights use 80% less electricity than conventional bulbs via a T5 fluorescent fitting that has a maximum connected load of 230 watts - less than half that of traditional metal halide bulbs. This resulted in a 72% saving on lighting bills. "In a downturn, cost savings become crucial", says Dockery.

The fittings also feature a sensor system that controls light output when areas are occupied and decreases levels to compensate for incoming natural light. "We've been able to programme the fittings to vary the light output depending on their location, so those in production areas emit higher levels than others in storage bays," says Dockery. A special reflector, which boasts a 95% reflectance level, means only 5% of light is lost when a surface absorbs rays.

David Bone, managing director of Somar, the manufacturer of Eluma lights, agrees that saving energy, and therefore money, has been thrust into focus by the recession. "There used to be misconceptions that to install something energy-saving was expensive and disrupted the working environment, but rising costs and pressure groups on climate change have driven companies to act in more responsible ways."

This has meant a steady increase in demand for Somar, and savings for businesses. Bone says companies using low-energy bulbs will see a saving on lighting costs between 60% and 85% - a guaranteed low-risk investment with a high return, usually apparent within 12-36 months.

Substantial savings
At flexible packaging manufacturer Amcor Flexibles, 175 energy-saving lights were phased in across production facilities and warehouses during 2008. Each fitting substituted two metal halide lamps but still increased overall light levels. "We now have the same levels at a lot lower cost," says Amcor electrical engineer Steve Seward. "The new lamps are also cheaper to replace at £2-3 per unit compared to £20 per HID unit."

Seward initially estimated the payback period of the £47,000 project to be 18 months, but the recent energy price increases mean that will now be less than a year. He now calculates the annual energy saving to be £60,000, while the move has reduced the company's carbon footprint by 236 tonnes a year.

"By installing energy-saving units, businesses are ticking the boxes of all sectors of the company - operational, financial and corporate social responsibility," says Bone. And there is help available to make this type of investment. The Carbon Trust is offering SMEs in England and Scotland loans of up to £200,000 to replace or upgrade existing equipment with energy-efficient alternatives.

Bone says he is "delighted" by the success of Emula and predicts a bright outlook for the company. "We are installing units as fast as we can make them. Essentially, we are very excited about the future."

Somar may prove one of the few companies to benefit from the financial gloom. It would seem there's nothing like a recession to throw new light on an old problem.