The big switch to LED lighting reduces CO₂ emissions

More and more metal forming sites are switching to LED lighting. This reduces CO₂ emissions, allows smart lighting control, and could save up to 60% of energy requirements at some sites. But the switchover is not a simple matter.

Lots of light, little electricity. Well-lit production halls and offices at far lower costs and reduced emissions—this is probably on the wish lists of all site managers. voestalpine Präzisionsprofil in Hürth, Germany, proves that this wish can come true. In 2018, production hall lighting was converted to LEDs; the savings target was 230 MWh within five years.

LED lighting at voestalpine Präzisionsprofil in Hürth (Germany).

LED lighting and big savings.

“These five years will be up in eight months,” says Technical Manager Matthias K., “but it is already clear that the effort has paid off. We will save even more than the predicted amount of energy.” Along with the new lighting technology, we implemented smart lighting, i.e., sector splitting, daylight control, etc. “You should definitely plan for that from the beginning,” confirms Matthias K., “because it translates into even more savings.” And make sure the lighting system is flexible enough to meet the demanding lighting needs in changing production situations.

LED lighting and the employees.

voestalpine Krems is also looking at the advantages of this more economical lighting technology. “We have already replaced almost 1,000 metal halide lamps with LEDs,” reports Andreas K., who is Head of Energy and Electrical Engineering in Krems. “That’s about 80% of all the lights in our production halls and warehouses.” Krems is also relying on smart lighting. “However, we came to the conclusion that it doesn’t always make sense to implement everything that is technically possible,” points out Dietmar H., Head of Plant Infrastructure. Since brightness is subjective, drastic changes in lighting sometimes caused discomfort; “we took that into account in the implementation.” We gained valuable experience to share with others.

The switch to LED lighting has been and is being made at many other division sites, an effective step in the CO₂untdown to Zero.

By the way

• The latest LED systems generate more savings than their predecessor technologies (up to 50% depending on the system).
• Smart daylight and presence control saves 10-40% in energy, further reducing CO₂ emissions.

LED lighting at voestalpine Präzisionsprofil in Hürth (Germany).