Australia's largest circulating manufacturing magazine SPECIAL 80th edition
Industry Update
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Manufacturing Magazine
Issue 76 February2014 2014$12.00 $12.00INC.GST INC.GST 80 October
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INDUSTRY UPDATE EXCLUSIVE
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HOW SMART MANUFACTURERS ARE BEATING SOARING ENERGY PRICES Australia’s electricity prices are very near to the highest in the developed world. Rising electricity prices not only have a major impact on the cost of living, they can also have a crippling effect on industry. Australian businesses – which account for 70 per cent of total electricity use in Australia – have experienced an almost 80 per cent increase in prices since 2009. In 2013-14, the carbon tax added an estimated $6.4 billion to the nation’s tax bill. That’s equivalent to a 10 per cent increase in company tax revenue in one year. To beat soaring electricity prices, many manufacturers are now turning to alternative forms of energy. Energy efficient induction lighting is probably Australia’s best kept energy secret. Compared to standard metal halide
or sodium lamps, induction lighting uses significantly less electricity – and has an incredibly long lifespan. Users claim induction lighting use up to 50 percent less energy and can save up to 50 percent on power bills. But the real saving is on maintenance. Induction lighting is maintenance free for the life of the fixture, with no re-lamping needed. Typically, you would need to replace a metal halide or sodium lamp at least five times in 10 years (depending on usage). In the same time, you’ll need to replace the induction light just once. Cecil Gage, manager of Induction Lighting Imports (Aust) Pty Ltd, says despite the significant savings, induction lighting has been largely ignored in Australia.
In other parts of the world, particularly, Europe the technology has been widely embraced, he says. It is now being used extensively by
industry as well as in commercial applications. It’s also being used to light freeways and roads. “For some reason it has been consistently Continued page 6
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