Can changing bulbs keep the lights on?
- silvereyecomms
- Jan 16, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 10
Steve Rotherham - Mon, 16 Jan 2023
What if there were a painless way to quickly reduce New Zealand’s winter peak loads by 169 megawatts?
What if this also reduced emissions, cut consumer costs during a cost-of-living crisis, and paid itself off in three months?
In examining energy security for next winter, the Electricity Authority and Transpower are focusing on generation and demand management. But are they overlooking a simple energy
efficiency measure?
Ecobulb and Concept Consulting think so.
“A 2018 study undertaken for EECA [the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority]
by Concept Consulting found that residential lighting and space heating are largely
responsible for the winter peak in electricity demand,” Ecobulb says in a submission to
the EA.
This is supported by 2020 University of Otago research that found household lighting
constitutes about 12 per cent of winter evening peak electricity consumption.
That research found gradual uptake of more efficient residential lighting could cut
evening peak demand in winter (between 6pm and 8pm) by at least 500 MW or 9 per
cent by 2029.
Ecobulb says a quickly rolled-out programme that reached 70 per cent of New Zealand
households could cut peak load by 169 MW by early next year.
“There is an opportunity to replace a large portion of the 29.99 million inefficient light
bulbs in New Zealand homes with LEDs,” Ecobulb says.
Proposal
It proposes a 13 million LED New Zealand residential project in 2023.
This would involve 70 per cent of New Zealand homes picking up 10 free Ecobulb
LEDs each from 350 venues on specific weekends (region-by-region) throughout New
Zealand, as well as community group distribution of LEDs to households that can’t
come into a venue to pick them up.
“Much of it could be delivered before and during winter 2023 if a decision to proceed
was made by 27 January,” Ecobulb says.
“It would deliver a large peak winter network load reduction. It would further promote
consumer interests by delivering large electricity savings for residential consumers and
large carbon dioxide emission reductions.
“Ecobulb has confirmed with manufacturers that they have the required LED
manufacturing capacity available to deliver to this plan.”
The company says this “low-hanging fruit” has been well recognised and acted on in
other countries.
“Installing residential energy efficient lighting has been the cornerstone activity of the
Australian State Government Energy Efficiency and White Certificate programmes in
Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.”
Managing the roll-out
Ecobulb says it has proven capability to supply the LEDs and project manage delivery
of such a project in partnership with EECA, Energy Trusts, lines companies, social
service agencies, and community groups.
It notes that EECA has run nine LED pilot projects in the last four years, including four
region-scale projects delivered by Ecobulb in partnership with EECA, lines companies
and Energy Trusts.
However, the full benefits of the project wouldn’t be felt until winter 2024.
“Ecobulb has developed a plan for this project to be rolled out over a 48-week period
across New Zealand through 16 regional events. The first regional event could
commence 11 weeks after the signing of a project agreement for this proposal, based
on the current manufacturing and shipping lead times of Ecobulb LEDs.”
Ecobulb aims to maximise the peak winter network load reduction by ensuring its LEDs
are rapidly installed after distribution in the rooms where the lights are on the most
during the winter evening hours.
EECA undertook follow-up research of the 45,000 LED April 2018 South Canterbury
Ecobulb Project.
This found that 78 per cent of the LEDs had been installed within two months after the
project. The remaining 22 per cent had not been installed, mostly because people were
waiting for existing bulbs to blow or because they simply hadn’t got round to the task.
“Of the LEDs installed, however, they were predominantly installed in the areas where
the lights were on the most during the winter hours of 6pm and 9pm,” Ecobulb says.
The company says it has “developed significant expertise” in its subsequent projects in
ensuring that consumers install their Ecobulb LEDs promptly after receiving them in the
light fittings used most during winter evenings.
Quantifying the benefits
The project would require $52.3 million in government funding, but Ecobulb says the
country would rapidly achieve payback.
“Consumer electricity savings from this project alone pay back this funding within three
months,” it says.
Other tangible national benefits include:
$880 million cumulative electricity savings for New Zealand homes by 2030
736,000 tonnes cumulative carbon dioxide emission reduction by 2040
$725 million net present value to New Zealand (excluding consumer electricity
savings)
Concept Consulting estimates the benefit:cost ratio at 16:1.
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