When photovoltaic system designer and manufacturer Solyndra was looking for an energy-efficient and sustainable lighting upgrade for its 100,000 square foot “Tool Build” facility, it chose Metrolight for the solution. The challenge was to deliver maximum light levels with maximum energy savings. The “Tool Build” area was illuminated by 300 ten-year-old 400W HID units suspended at just under 25 feet high. The average foot candle readings registered about 30 foot candles — much too low for the precision manufacturing taking place in the area, which requires at least 70fc.
“Our initial analysis showed that in order to reach the desired lighting levels, we would have to add another 150 400 watt HID units.” said Mario Lopez, Solyndra project manager. “We considered a switch to T5 fluorescents but that would have involved a lamp, fixture and ballast retrofit. Ultimately, we chose the state-of-the-art Metrolight Electronic HID solution because it met our lighting and energy saving requirements and at a lower total cost of ownership.”
Munro Distributing Co., Fall River, Mass., served as supplier for the Metrolight solution. “We reviewed a variety of energy-efficient lighting solutions with Solyndra and the system that delivered extraordinary energy savings, light quality and the required light levels was the Metrolight Electronic HID retrofit,” said Brian Munro, Munro Distributing Co.
The Metrolight retrofit delivered more efficient point-source lighting compared to the flat volume of light produced by the linear fluorescents, and provided higher energy savings and lower cost of ownership — a $130,000 savings when compared to the fluorescent solution, the company says. The Metrolight ballasts also feature full digital and analog control capabilities.