Sparks Electrical News June 2019

LIGHTING

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W ith a 13.8% hike in electricity prices and regular load shedding, South Africans are looking for ways to reduce their electricity consumption when the lights are on and keep their homes illuminated when the power is out. A strategic ap- proach to the current power crisis will save you money and the in- convenience of fumbling around in the dark. If you’re unsure where to start, these are the solutions recommended by Eurolux. LED Swapping out older bulbs for LEDs may seem like an obvious option, but for those who don’t fully understand their benefits, there may be some reluctance. When LED bulbs were first intro- duced to the market, their price point was considerably higher than their incandescent counterparts. This is not the case in 2019 and they now retail for almost the same price as regular light bulbs. So why make the switch? An LED bulb will illuminate your home for 15 000 to 30 000 hours while an incandescent bulb only offers up to 2 000 hours of light. Still not convinced? An incandescent bulb uses 42 W of electricity to emit the same level of illumination as a 6 W LED. Updating old technology for new will save you money in the long run as you won’t have to replace your bulbs as often, plus you’ll use less electricity thanks to the low wattage power of LEDs. Solar No power, no problem. Solar lighting doesn’t require standard electric power because it makes use of a photovoltaic cell which converts sunlight into electricity. This electricity is then stored in a battery which supplies the electricity to the light so it illuminates your outdoor area. Solar lighting also offers the convenience of easy installation and can be moved to different locations around your garden with ease. The Lutec range, in particular, has proved to be a popular choice as it offers solar panels in combination with powerful LED modules. ENERGY EFFICIENT LIGHTING

Day/Night It’s common knowledge that a well-lit home acts as a deterrent for intruders. But if you’re not going to be home for long periods of time, leaving lights on throughout the day and into the night can have an adverse effect because it’s a sign that no one is home. It also wastes a lot of electricity. That’s where day/night bulbs come in. They’re an economical, no-fuss lighting solution that provides you with peace of mind and saves you money. Day/night bulbs have a photocell that reg-

isters the brilliance of ambient light and activates when the light levels reach a certain level. This enables them to automatically switch on at dusk and off again at dawn. Day/night bulbs are also good for lighting garden paths, gate posts, and front door areas so that you don’t run the risk of tripping in the dark. Larger properties may benefit from a day/ night floodlight to keep the garden well-illuminated.

Enquiries: www.eurolux.co.za

A fter Lisbon last year, Osram was again be the official partner to shine a light on the artists of the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Tel Aviv. The world’s largest TV entertain- ment event took place from May 12 to 18 at the International Congress Center in Tel Aviv. Under the slogan “Dare to dream!”, 42 artists fought to bring the victory home to their countries. “We are very happy to be ESC’s official lighting partner again this year. Our lighting solutions will be individually aligned to this year’s show to stage themany musical highlights and create a fantastic and unique atmosphere with our lighting effects,” says Gunnar Eberhardt, Head of Entertainment and Architectural Lighting at Osram. Along with lighting designers Ronen Najar and Dakar Azulay, the numerous luminaires are an essential part of the spectacular light show on the ESC stage. Hundreds of them and therefore a substantial proportion of the entire lighting system will again be provided by Claypaky, Osram’s in- novative entertainment brand. The company is one of the world’s leading brands for entertainment lighting and, with its lighting solutions, has played a huge part in the success of the ESC shows over the past several years. First introduced in 2019, the Sharpy Plus was one of the highlights on the main stage. Axcor 600 spotlights with integrated SSL technology were also be part of the show. The Unico from the Scenius family again provided effects, and off stage, the Sharpy Wash was used, completing the Claypaky lighting concept. In addition to the Claypaky products, luminaires from other brands featuring Os- ram lamp technology such as Robe’s BMFL were integrated into the system. Away from the ESC stage, the sights of the city of Tel Aviv were also shining in bright colours. This year, Osram spotlights illuminated almost the entire district of Old Jaffa. Sights such as the clock tower and Saint Peter’s Church dating back to the Ottoman Empire were lit up in different colours. The same applied to the International Congress Center where the Eurovision Song Contest took place. Which colours the buildings were illuminated in was determined by viewers using the official Eu- rovision Song Contest app. Via the Osram light voting section they voted for each artist during the two semi-finals and the final. The scale went from one to twelve, and each number of points stood for a particular colour. The average value of all the votes produced the final score and therefore the colour in which the landmarks were illuminated. During the semi-finals and the grand finale, visitors could use the Light Voting function, which was part of the official ESC app, to vote for each song as it was being performed. OSRAM LIGHTS UP THE EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

FONROCHE LIGHTING AT AFRICAN UTILITY WEEK

P ursuing its strategic development in Africa, Fon- roche Lighting, the global leader in solar light- ing solutions, was involved at the African Utility Week conference and exhibition which took place on 14-16 May in Cape Town. It provided an opportunity for the French company to present its solar streetlights to South African decision makers and identify new local distributors to extend sales channels. Fonroche Lighting is working hard to expand its busi- ness globally. Already established in Africa with subsidi- aries in Senegal and Kenya, the France-based company is actively seeking new distributors to partner with in South Africa. African Utility Week gave the company a chance to meet professionals from across the sector eager to take

up a new eco-conscious challenge. Representing the brand and its solar solutions, distributors play an impor- tant local role in identifying new projects and helping ensure their smooth and timely delivery. The company is based in southwest France and is part of the Fonroche Group, an industry leader in renewable energies. In addition to its lighting business, Fonroche has extensive expertise in biogas and high-temperature geothermal solutions. Fonroche exports its technologies around the globe. The company employs over 200 people and has invested more than €600 million to date in renewable energies in France and internationally.

Enquiries: www.osram.com

Enquiries: www.fonroche-lighting.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

JUNE 2019