First Supermarket with 100% LED Lighting

[PhotonBoy]

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/migros_supermar.php

"The Migros Supermarket in Eschenbach, Switzerland, sets an LED milestone by switching to 100% LED lighting throughout the entire store--in the refrigerated compartments, overhead, and accenting the selection of products on offer.... Migros expects to sink energy use 80%, including lower air conditioning costs due to the low waste heat generation of light emitting diodes."

 

[carmatic]

this is in switzerland... it doesnt happen to be very warm there in the first place to have to deal with waste heat from the lights, does it? the heat generated by the lights contribute to the overall heating of the house, with led's you have to turn up the heater in winter

 

[PhotonBoy]

In cooler countries like Switzerland and Canada, air conditioning is still required in stores during the summer, so annually, there ought to be a net saving. The lower maintenance costs associated with replacing burnt-out bulbs would be a bonus.

 

[Martin]

Supermarkets use mostly fluorescent tubes and maybe a few incan spots. The LEDs have no efficiency advantage over fluorescent tubes (assuming state-of-the-art electronic converters).

Then the lifetime: LEDs do not last 50,000 h. Philips rates their white LED bulbs just 6000 h while fluorescent is 8000 h.

So it doesn't really pay. Oh well, maybe there's lots of environmentalists in Eschenbach and they consider it chic to shop under LED lighting. This might drive business.

 

[2000xlt]

what was the cost of converting over?

 

[TONY M]

Supermarkets use mostly fluorescent tubes and maybe a few incan spots. The LEDs have no efficiency advantage over fluorescent tubes (assuming state-of-the-art electronic converters).

Then the lifetime: LEDs do not last 50,000 h. Philips rates their white LED bulbs just 6000 h while fluorescent is 8000 h.

So it doesn't really pay. Oh well, maybe there's lots of environmentalists in Eschenbach and they consider it chic to shop under LED lighting. This might drive business.

Yes I feel this may be a case of "trying" to be green or at least look that way like hybrid cars...

I would love to see supermarkets use less energy like everyone else of course.

 

[idleprocess]

Supermarkets use mostly fluorescent tubes and maybe a few incan spots. The LEDs have no efficiency advantage over fluorescent tubes (assuming state-of-the-art electronic converters).

Then the lifetime: LEDs do not last 50,000 h. Philips rates their white LED bulbs just 6000 h while fluorescent is 8000 h.

So it doesn't really pay. Oh well, maybe there's lots of environmentalists in Eschenbach and they consider it chic to shop under LED lighting. This might drive business.

It all depends on the execution. Using "drop-in" LED "bulbs" for Edison sockets or other footprints designed for incandescent lamps will cut into efficiency and lifetime. There is nowhere for the heat within the LEDs to go, and they need to carry an AC-DC converter with the LEDs - typically a cheap and inefficient one.

The latest LEDs beat out incandescent and edge in on the better fluorescent tubes.

Using purpose-built fixtures with good heatsinking and better power delivery (regulated DC, perhaps) will up the lifespan to around the advertised "50,000 hours" mark - probably meeting or exceeding the useful life of the store interior before it needs to be remodeled, making the LEDs and fixtures as permanent as the sheet rock, ceiling tiles, A/C ducts, etc. The fixtures themselves will need to be more numerous since LEDs do not presently scale like fluorescent tubes or incandescent lamps.

Now ... given that the project in question is using Osram LEDs (not known for their efficiency) and appears to be utilizing adapted conventional fixtures, it's hard to say whether they will realize any significant energy savings. They may realize some operational savings if those fixtures hold up and they experience relatively few LED failures.

 

[JohnR66]

It would be neat to see the store lit by all LEDs. (XR-Es :thumbsup Linear tube fluorescent can hit 100 l/w with electronic control gear and metal halide can go even higher. Both would have better CRI than a white LED as well.

I understand that LED outputs are stated for room temp (or near so) die temperatures which is not achieved under normal operation.

I just don't see the benefit of LEDs for area light applications especially where CRI performance is required.

I have seen a good use of LEDs in the freezer section of a new WalMart. The LEDs turn on as you walk by and go back off a few seconds later after you pass. Very smart application. Why have light on when no one is there to use it? Fluoro would not be a good application here due to frequent on/off cycling.