Chile
PORT OF LIRQUÉN
ENERGY SAVINGS OF OVER 42% FOR THE PORT OF LIRQUÉN
Port of Lirquén is a cargo port, located about 550 kilometres south of Santiago de Chile, on the coast of Bahía de Concepción, VIII Region.
Given the continuous growth of the cargo to be transported, this port has been forced to increase its storage yards to accommodate the greater number of containers that such growth carries with it.
The existing docks and container yards of this port were originally illuminated with masts and 1000 watt high-pressure sodium luminaires, provided by CU Phosco in 1998.
As a result of the expansion of one of its container yards called “La Tosca”, has expanded by more than 5.5 hectares. In order to improve the quality and performance of the lighting and to reduce both maintenance and energy costs, CU Phosco proposed the use of FL8004-4 LED lights instead of the high-pressure sodium luminaires.
CU Phosco undertook the lighting design utilising their in-house technical team, considering the requirement of an average lighting level of 50 lux, demanded by Lirquén, which was achieved with 40-meter high masts and FL800R-4 LED luminaires. CU Phosco presented a technical-economic cost study comparing the use of LED lights versus high-pressure sodium ones, which concluded that the annual energy savings are 42 % in favour of LED. Although the initial investment for LED lights was 57% higher than sodium lights at that time, the return on investment given the savings was approximately five years
Given these results, the Port of Lirquén approved and commissioned CU Phosco to carry out this project for the lighting of this extension utilising the FL800R LED floodlights.
RESULTS AND BENEFITS
The improvement in the quality of light by changing from sodium to LED is evident, and as a result the Port of Lirquén now plans the gradual replacement of its current sodium luminaires for LEDs in all its patios and docks.
Following the successful completion of the project two other ports located in the same region as Lirquén, Coronel Port and SVTI International Terminal, have contracted CU Phosco to provide both the high mast and floodlights.
