Why new-generation LED lighting is set to make cities greener with Dr. Torben Riise of Green Air International

Reducing the consumption of energy makes sense for any business and household, but more than that, it is critical from an ecological point of view. Dr. Torben Riise, COO of US-based Green Air International (GAI), is one of the most knowledgable and enthusiastic proponents of the latest LED technology. "If just 10% of the fluorescent tubes in the U.S. were converted to LED tubes, which typically save from 40 to 60% of lighting energy costs, we could prevent greenhouse gasses equivalent to 4 million cars and decommission over 50 coal burning power plants, and eliminate mercury from the environment – every year! And we would save $6 Bn in electricity costs in the process."

According to Dr. Riise, "only 10-30% of the energy used by non-LED bulbs or tubes like incandescent and fluorescent go to producing light, the rest is wasted as heat."  Yesterday's LEDs suffered from the same issue, which also led to shorter lifetimes: heat not only raises A/C bills, it also accelerates the decay of lighting equipment itself.

In the last 18 months, we have seen the emergence of new-generation, ultra-efficient LED lighting with negligible heat radiation and burn times in the order of 50,000 hours burn time (over 5 years of continuous use or more than 10 years if used half of the day or less).  LED's are not deteriorated by repeated switching on and off through energy-saving sensors and timing technologies, as are fluorescents for example. 

There have also been significant improvements in the quality and intensity of the lighting: there are various "kelvin" ratings available (different warmths to suit different applications or environments from hospitals to offices or restaurants).  Successful projects have included parking lots, administrative buildings, college campuses, hospitals, airports, manufacturing facilities, government facilities, and municipal lighting. 

Utmost on the minds of most parties is the business case or return on investment. With an ROI typically ranging from 1 to 2 years, and warrantees of 5 or more years, and expected life cycle that far surpasses this (10 to 15 years), "many consider it practically unethical not to do it."  Investors, on the other hand, see an opportunity to help those entities that lack the capital for the investment and see it as a secure return in a time of weak and volatile market conditions, so Green Air International has found that financing in the form of lease-to-own and other instruments has not been difficult to secure for customers that require it.  With the rise of micro-equity financing, small businesses should find it even easier to raise the capital required for energy upgrades like this one with a comprehensive analysis by an expert. 

"There are different players in the market, but we have focused on finding the right LED light products – meaning the optimal solution between high quality and affordable prices – and establishing a partnership with the manufacturer.  Some times a product seems cheaper, but when you do a life cycle analysis it falls short compared to other alternatives."

The so-called "negawatt" (negative watt) industry is beginning to pick up and LED's are poised to play an important role.  It is both an opportunity for communities and other entities to save green, go green, and for enterpreneurs like Dr. Riise to capitalize on a percentage of money that is already being spent in the form of wasted energy.  By reducing electric bills with quality products, we can all win. 

Interview: Miami, Florida