Energy mad
Development
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for Energy Mad’s two young Directors. In less than two years they’ve taken a simple, and previously failed, concept and made it an astounding success.
To maximise the benefits to the nation’s electricity networks, Energy Mad added a high power factor and low harmonic emissions to the bulb’s development criteria. Low-power-factor devices use more current, and therefore require more lines capacity. For example, in very simple terms, a typical 20W CFL has a power factor of 0.5 and requires 40W of transmission capacity (20W/0.5), while a 20W CFL with a power factor of 0.9 will only require 22W of transmission capacity (20W/0.9).
Harmonic emissions are best described as electrical noise; like turbulent flow in a pipe, harmonic emissions are disruptive and can interfere with control systems such as ripple control.
Earlier efforts by other manufacturers to raise the power factor of energy-saving bulbs and to lower harmonics had resulted in expensive bulbs with lower light output, a shorter life, and poor switchability. Unwilling to compromise, the Energy Mad team worked through an extensive modification and testing regime with their manufacturers. The development process was overwhelmingly successful, resulting in the high-performance 20W “Ecobulb” which was rated first in an energy-saving light bulb test conducted by the Consumers’ Institute in October 2005.
The 20W Ecobulb has a power factor of 0.93, requiring only 22W of transmission capacity and giving a peak load saving of up to 18W over other CFLs. It is also seven times kinder on harmonics.
And although the Ecobulb only uses 20W of energy, the Consumers’ Institute measured it to be 29 percent brighter than a 100W incandescent bulb – giving an energy saving of over 80 per cent for an equivalent light output.
