By choosing to replace the lighting in one of its California-based cold storage warehouses with high efficiency lighting, Dole is poised to reap immense energy savings, while doubling the light level in the warehouse.
Albeo Technologies Inc., the manufacturer of the light emitting diode (LED) lights used in the lighting retrofit, said its C-Series High Bay fixtures were outfitted with motion sensors to provide Dole with 95% energy savings. The new lights replaced 400W metal halide fixtures.
Due to the sub-zero temperatures and constant activity in the warehouse, Dole required lights that could be started without warm-up time; Albeo’s LED lights met the criteria for such an environment, an Albeo press release said.
Albeo says its lights could last decades in a motion-sensed cold storage environment, easily a reason why an industry leader like Dole would opt for these lights to save energy and augment operations.
Lighting accounts for about 20 percent to 30 percent of commercial electricity costs, making savings from using energy efficient lights significant.
Furthermore, given that LED bulbs do not contain mercury, found in fluorescent bulbs, the benefit to the environment comes in the reduced chemical impact as well as the reduced carbon dioxide as the bulbs use far less energy.