Green Light for SaskEnergy and TransGas
This article was written by Lori Parks, P.Eng, TransGas and originally published in The
Saskatchewan Oil Insider.
Energy conservation is a high priority at SaskEnergy & TransGas, not just because it’s good for the
environment, but because it makes good business sense. That’s how a company-wide yard lighting
transformation created a safer, more efficient work environment and over $87,000 in savings
annually.
For years the TransGas compressor station yard lighting had been inadequate, as there were few
lights in the yards and the lighting levels were low for the work activities required. Often, staff needed
to use portable lighting to perform tasks at the facilities. In 2013, George Fischer, Electrical
Maintenance Supervisor for Transmission Operations, led a massive project to convert 360 high
pressure sodium (HPS) yard lights to light emitting diode (LED) fixtures. This project resulted in
greatly improved lighting conditions at the facilities, along with decreased energy and maintenance
requirements – a success story that could be easily replicated by other Saskatchewan companies.
The key strength of LED lighting is reduced power consumption that results from up to 80%
efficiency, which means 80% of the electrical energy is converted to light energy and the remaining
20% is lost as heat energy. Conversely, incandescent bulbs operate at about 20% efficiency, losing
80% of the electrical energy as heat. LED lighting also has environmental benefits because they
contain no toxic chemicals, are 100% recyclable, and long bulb life means that using LED light bulbs
will reduce the materials and energy required to produce traditional bulbs.
Known for their durability, LEDs are built with sturdy components that can withstand rugged
conditions, such as vibration, shock or extreme heat or cold which is very practical in an industrial or
commercial setting, especially on the prairies. LED lights efficiently and conveniently brighten up
immediately when powered on, unlike the HPS lights which take some time to warm up, and finally,
LED lights can be switched off and on frequently without affecting the lifetime or light emission.
Before changing lighting in multiple facilities, TransGas carefully piloted the use of 100 watt and 200
watt LED fixtures, measuring the electrical current draw to determine electrical costs, and comparing
lighting levels HPS lighting levels. Test results showed that one HPS yard light with three fixtures
(1320 watts total) could be replaced with three 200 watt LED fixtures (600 watts total). LED lighting
levels were the same as HPS lighting in the targeted work area but also extended to a larger
surrounding area bright enough for workers to operate.
For companies looking for operational savings the math is clear. HPS lights require more than twice
the amount of electricity of LED lights, yet their lifespan was just over 1 year compared to 20 years
for LED lights. Knowing HPS were more costly overall, and more labour intensive than the low
maintenance, energy efficient LED lights made for an easy decision to update yard lighting at
SaskEnergy/TransGas across the province.