Be rewarded for saving energy

Products approved by IPART for inclusion in ESS

Ilum-a-Lite has announced that a number of its energy-saving products have been approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of NSW (IPART) for inclusion in the state government’s Energy Savings Scheme (ESS) - meaning projects undertaken by Ilum-a-Lite can deliver substantial cash rebates.

“By using our products our clients receive a double benefit,” said Mark Rutherford, Ilum-a-Lite’s Managing Director. “They’ll cut their energy bills significantly and, within a couple of weeks of installation, will also receive a payment back to them based on their projected energy savings.”

Ilum-a-Lite’s Light Eco Plus, Save it Easy and Light Eco replacement fittings are all eligible for the rebate.

“Our Light Eco Plus controls the amount of electricity that reaches a fluorescent lighting circuit and Save it Easy is the cost-effective way to upgrade from T8 to T5 technology,” said Rutherford. “By accessing the ESS scheme, our customers stand to receive a rebate that typically works out at between 20-50% of the capital cost, thereby reducing the payback period substantially.”

The ESS has been introduced in NSW to provide a financial incentive to reduce energy use. The scheme works through a system of Energy Savings Certificates (ESC) which customers earn from Recognised Energy Saving Activities (RESA) and created through Accredited Certificate Providers (ACP) as a result of cutting electricity use. Each certificate represents a saving of approximately one-megawatt hour, which the ACP then sells to electricity retailers who must acquire or create an annual target number of certificates. An ACP can receive up to $31 for each certificate they generate and they forward a payment to the customer based on the energy savings they are making.

“We’re working closely with our Accredited Certificate Provider partners who will process the claims,” said Rutherford. “The fact that several of our products have already satisfied IPART’s accreditation requirements means that they are already approved as being eligible for the rebate. This means it’s simple and easy for our customers to access this financial incentive whilst securing long-term reductions in energy costs as a result of using our products.”

Rutherford believes that because the approvals are already in place, Ilum-a-Lite is positioned to offer ESCs. “It’s my belief that customers who act quickly will get the greatest return,” he said.

The scheme is modelled on the end-use energy efficiency component of the Demand Side Abatement component of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Scheme (GGAS), which ceased with the introduction of the ESS.

Rutherford said there is a high level of interest in the scheme amongst facilities managers, property managers and others who are responsible for property portfolios.