After developing and hosting the largest solar array in Oregon, the team at Portland Habilitation Center Northwest (PHCNW) is diving head first into its next social venture. PHCNW has partnered with LightPower Canada to offer the latest in LED lighting.
“We’re always searching for something we can be successful in,” said John Murphy, President and CEO of PHNCW. “After completing the solar array, we wanted to find something we could be competitive in and find a niche that would produce labor, local labor.”
PHCNW’s primary responsibility in this partnership is to manufacture high-quality products in a timely manner. LightPower’s role is to refine existing designs, develop new products and applications and assist PHCNW in sourcing the components. Each company will market the product line.
“This is the new lighting technology no doubt about it,” Murphy said. “LEDs themselves are rapidly improving, and we felt that the technology was at a point where it’s beginning to take hold in a commercial way.”
The first project PHCNW and LightPower built was the “hybrid street light.” Here solar panels are used on the pole to charge the battery, which in turn powers the light. Approximately 90% of the current market consists of high pressure sodium lights in the range of 250-400 watts. LEDs produce the same effect with a range of 30-90 watts. In addition, a hybrid street light can last 90,000 hours, up to 30 years. Not having to change a bulb for 10-30 years significantly lowers the most costly aspect of streetlights—
“LEDs are innovative because they consume less energy, last longer and are smaller,” Murphy said. “Our goal is to use less power generated by coal-fired plants and natural gas plants. We figure that if we can cut into the electricity demand by having distributed sources like street lights, we can reduce the demand on the whole system.”
“It’s a great partnership opportunity as long as both organizations hold true to their roles,” Murphy said. “Fortunately, each of us understands our role and works independently. Our partner brings in capital the conventional way and we use our reserves to pursue our mission of creating jobs. We feel confident about the technology, our partnership with LightPower and look forward to what’s in store.”
