REVOLUTIONARY low-energy lighting technology is being pioneered by researchers in Wales.

Ultra-Efficient Lighting (UEL), which cuts down on energy used by lighting, is moving closer to being brought to mass market and a centre to develop the technology has opened in Swansea.

The Wales Ultra-Efficient Lighting Centre (WUELC) sees researchers at Swansea University, the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University and lighting manufacturer Enfis working to support industry and the public sector in adoption of UEL over the next decade.

Ken Board, emeritus professor of electrical engineering at Swansea University, said the centre will work to lower carbon emissions through the use of new lighting technology.

He said: “The mission of the centre is to champion the adoption of ultra-efficient light sources and lighting control technologies for use in everyday lighting applications applications throughout UK.

“The aim of the centre to ensure at least a 30% lowering of carbon emissions associated with the use of lighting technologies. Secondly, in a climate of high energy prices and global recession, to reduce the overall cost of lighting to the private and public sectors.”

The centre will aim to promote the use of ultra-efficient light sources and lighting control technologies to minimise energy consumption in the private and public sectors.

It will also provide a rapid and effective energy saving, light quality and reduced maintenance costs as well as an independent testing facility for ultra-efficient lighting technologies.

Informing organisations across sectors on the benefits of UEL is another of its aims and it will also conduct and co-ordinate research into technologies and applications which could result spin-out companies.

Prof Board said that lighting accounts for around 20% of the global consumption of electricity.

“Electricity used for lighting is a major contributor to CO2 emissions, equivalent to 70% from the world’s cars,” he said. “The introduction of ultra-efficient lamp and control technologies could half the energy consumption used for lighting.”

Prof Board said UEL is defined as the combination of ultra-efficient light sources with a new generation of lighting controls in a networked environment.

This combination of technologies is essential to bring about a revolution in the impact that lighting has on our energy usage, he said.

Prof Board said: “There are now highly efficient light sources on the market. The most widespread highly efficient solutions are the discharge lamps such as the fluorescent linear strip and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps.

“These are energy efficient and also highly cost effective. However, these light sources have major drawbacks such as containing mercury and other heavy metals, are not easy to dim, cannot be switched on and off quickly, have slow warm-up times and are restricted in their form factor.

“ In addition, these light sources have lifetimes, generally 15,000 hours, before they fail catastrophically.”

In addition to this, a new type of light source has been developing over the past five years known as the semiconductor light emitting diode (LED).

The progress in the development of this technology, also known as solid-state lighting (SSL) has been remarkable, in comparison with more traditional light sources.

These LEDs have already begun to displace incandescent bulbs in niche applications, particularly those involving durability, compactness, traffic, automotive, display and architectural and directed-area lighting.

The Welsh Ultra-Efficient Lighting Centre is the culmination of a strong research partnership between Swansea University and LED lighting company, Swansea- based Enfis.

“Enfis is a leader in the global LED lighting industry and was the first solid-state lighting company to have its shares placed on the London Stock Exchange,” Prof Board said.

“The collaborative research and demonstrations of ultra-efficient lighting were also performed in conjunction with the Welsh School of Architecture which is known world-wide for its modelling of energy management within buildings. Thus, there is the nucleus of a strong development partnership which will be strengthened through the Lighting Centre.”

The centre will liaise with other UK bodies such as the Energy Saving Trust, Carbon Trust, the Lighting Association and relevant government bodies.

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