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Superior Light Output with Compact Design Lasts 15 Times Longer than Standard Bulbs
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home | reasons to switch | high power factor High Power Factor Ecospiral™ Technology
A key reason for electricity utilities selecting the Ecospiral™ is its high power factor technical superiority. The high power factor Ecospiral™ results in a 50% greater electricity distribution network load reduction (approximately 17VA per bulb) than ordinary CFL's. This increased reduction is worth approximately $11 per Ecospiral™ of deferred new electricity distribution network capital investment for the utilities.
Large numbers of ordinary CFL's are also detrimental to electricity utility networks, as they cause electrical interference on their networks. This requires expensive electronic correction by the utilities. The high power factor Ecospiral™ does not create this electrical interference. Consequently, $4.30 of network correction per Ecospiral™ is avoided relative to installing a CFL.
A large Utility in Sydney, Australia recently ordered 180,000 Ecospiral™ lights (known as Ecobulb™ in Australia), despite the higher price than low power factor CFL's they were pursuing This was because the utility was concerned about the impact of high numbers of CFL's on performance of the peak load shedding control systems.
An electricity utility network that replaces one million incandescent bulbs on at peak network times with Ecospiral™ lights will save $7.75 million more ($8.50 plus $2.80 per bulb times 1 million Ecospiral™ lights ) than if these bulbs were replaced with ordinary CFL's. Consequently it is extremely cost effective for electricity utilities to implement Ecospiral™ projects, rather than let the market replace incandescent bulbs with ordinary CFL's.
Other light bulb manufacturers have attempted to develop high power factor CFL's. However, these bulbs are typically larger, with lower light output and reduced lifetimes. As they are more expensive to manufacture with no perceived consumer benefit, these developments have invariably ceased. It is likely that they will eventually produce viable high power factor CFL's to compete against the Ecospiral™. However, the Ecospiral™ then has a 15 month first mover advantage. This is because it takes 15 months to complete the CFL lifetime testing required by the electricity utilities before they would purchase these bulbs.
Comparison of the 20W quality brand CFL with the 20W Ecospiral™ performance specifications
expensive than their 6,000h CFL.
The following table compares the net benefits for an electricity distribution utility per high power factor 20W Ecospiral™ installed on their network at peak load times relative to the 20W low power factor quality brand CFL.
Comparison of the net
benefits for an electricity distribution utility per 20W Ecospiral™
relative to the 20W quality brand CFL
This analysis demonstrates that there is a $11.30 net benefit to an electricity distribution utility per Ecospiral™ on at peak network times relative to the low power factor quality brand CFL. Consequently, it is considerably more cost effective for such utilities to invest in the Ecospiral™, even if considerably lower priced CFL’s are available.
2 Based on
replacing a 75W incandescent bulb. 3 Based on the average approximate cost for electricity distribution utilities of $0.72USD per
watt of new
distribution line capacity. 4 Installation of Compact Fluorescent Lamps Assessment of Benefits, Report for Electricity
Commission,
Parsons Brinkerhoff, April 2006
Leading Harmonics Expert Neville Watson Analyses Harmonic Impact of CFLs
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