20 February 2017

Lighting the way to a greener future: LED floodlighting for Auckland’s Port to deliver massive energy savings

LED floodlights will save 1.17 Gigawatt hours, nearly 7% of the port’s total electricity usage

As part of its drive to become New Zealand’s most sustainable port, Ports of Auckland is installing LED floodlighting, the first New Zealand port to do so.

Ports of Auckland CEO Tony Gibson said “We operate all day, every day, in all kinds of weather. Having good floodlighting is an essential part of our business – but it’s also a big part of our energy bill. We’ve wanted to use LED floodlighting for some time, but the power and reliability hasn’t been up to what we need in the harsh port environment. Until now.

“We can’t wait to demonstrate the effectiveness of LED floodlighting at our port. This is a very exciting project and it really is just the start of what we hope to achieve through new technology.”

Stage One of the project will see LED floodlights installed in the port’s general cargo area, while Stage Two, which covers the container terminal, will be timed to coincide with the introduction of automation over the next two years. Stage One will save 1.17 Gigawatt hours of electricity, enough to power 147 average kiwi homes for a year. Stage Two savings have not yet been calculated as they will vary depending on the lighting requirements for the automated terminal, but they will also be significant.

Once LEDs have been installed across the port, other benefits become possible. LEDs can be dimmed and turned on and off quickly, unlike existing floodlighting. So we’ll be able to deliver just the right amount of light, only where it’s needed. There’s a safety benefit too: LEDs last longer so fewer light bulb changes are needed which means less working at height for our staff.

We have been able to undertake this project thanks to the assistance of the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA). Ports of Auckland and EECA recently signed a collaboration agreement which aims to reduce the port’s total energy usage through energy savings or renewable energy conversion. Together, we are aiming to reduce the port’s energy consumption by at least 2 Gigawatt hours by the end of 2019.

EECA Chief Executive Andrew Caseley congratulated Ports of Auckland on their commitment.

“This energy efficiency work will see Ports of Auckland save money and reduce health and safety risks, it’s a win for the company and it is good for New Zealand,” he said.

ENDS

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