News Limited’s Brisbane printing plant will now save $71,000 in energy costs each year thanks to a new lighting system, according energy efficiency project management company Mojarra. Mojarra says it also achieved yearly savings of $37,500 for Bright Print (in Wetherill Park and Newcastle), and $42,955 for newspaper outfit MPD Printing – for a total investment of $69,566, minus an AusIndustry subsidy, for an ROI of within two years. Chris Hay, CEO of Mojarra, says the News Ltd facility, which operates 24-7 printing the likes of The Courier Mail, The Australian and other publications, was experiencing issues with its metal halide lamps cracking and even exploding in the publishing hall. Mojarra was called in to figure out the best solution for OH&S, as well as bring in savings in energy and operating costs.
Chris Hay, managing director of Mojarra
Mojarra assessed the site and proposed replacing all 198 metal halide lamps (400W) with induction light fittings (200W), and adding a daylight harvesting control system to maintain the required lighting levels. As well as the $71,000 in direct energy costs, Mojarra says News will also save more than $6,000 in maintenance costs, and will reduce its carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by more than 500 tonnes per year. The project began in January this year, and was completed in March. Hays outlined the case study in a recent PIAA webinar on how printers can reduce their energy costs. Mojarra says it takes into account all solutions available on the market and is not product specific; it does not try to shoehorn its printing clients into the one programme and backs up its proposals with a guarantee. Hay says, “Every site is different. The best potential site for savings has poor quality power supply, hasn’t done any retrofitting, has long operating hours and reasonably intensive energy consumption– from that significant opportunities for savings can be identified.” Mojarra operates around the country; Hays says it keeps on top with state idiosyncrasies in the different grants and subsidies available, as well as regulations and requirements.
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