Econ shines powerful, money-saving light in Mexico

BOULDER – Mexico will be a little brighter – and energy efficient – thanks to Energy Conservation Technologies, a Boulder-based electrical energy research and development company.

A Mexican public utility business approved a new component, or ballast, for lamps made by the company that goes by the shorter name, Econ. The approval paves the way for establishing a joint venture company in Mexico for production and sales throughout Mexico, according to Econ company officials.

“Because South America has similar voltage requirements and energy conservation needs, it indirectly opens the door for sales throughout South America and thus provides the foundation to expand Econ’s market on a global basis,” says Jay Lutsky, president of Econ.

South America is expected to spend over $3 billion per year, more than the U.S. market, on the type of lighting Econ produces. According to Lutsky, utility companies in Mexico have been seeking energy-efficient products for some time.

Econ announced in October that it had received formal regulatory approvals of its high-intensity discharge electronic ballasts for lamps from the director’s office of Laboratorio de Alumbrado area de Pruebas Electricas, a Mexican government public-utility lab that recently completed formal tests on Econ’s lamps.

The testing evaluated the ballast’s electrical characteristics and actual energy savings compared to other lamps sold by a leading Mexican manufacturer. The test results found that Econ’s ballasts saved 30 watts of electrical energy per lamp -translating to roughly $22 a year in savings per lamp – and it puts out 17 percent more light.

Lutsky says the electrical characteristics of Econ’s lamp and related energy savings exceed Mexico’s utility requirements for energy saving products. More than 15 million light fixtures in Mexico are operated by magnetic ballasts.

Econ’s ballasts, along with its dimming capabilities, can potentially save more than 700 megawatts of electrical energy, which otherwise must be supplied by a large power plant. The savings of electrical energy, Lutsky says, will reduce significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Fazle Quazi, Econ’s chairman and director of engineering, says Mexico’s acceptance of the Econ’s lamps is an important milestone for the company’s products. Econ’s lamps are the first and only approved lamps in Mexico to date. “This clearly proves our technology is superior,” he says.

Econ expects to begin manufacturing and selling lamps in Mexico in 2007.

Econ launched in 2000 and has generated several patents in the U.S. and other countries.

Econ products have applications in five market segments:

_ Electronic ballasts for HID lamps for commercial lighting.

_ Electronic ballasts for automotive HID headlight lamps.

_ Electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps for commercial lighting.

_ Power inverters for alternative energy sources such as fuel cells.

_ Wind and solar power supplies for telecommunications and computers.

According to the company, each market segment is a multibillion-dollar global industry.

Econ’s primary focus for now is to commercialize its electronic ballasts for HID lamps. Energy-efficient electronic ballasts are an emerging market for the replacement of inefficient magnetic ballasts. Ballasts are expected to grow rapidly into a multibillion-dollar industry as energy savings and conservations become necessary to keep up with the worldwide increased use of electricity.

After the high-intensity discharge ballasts are on the market, the company intends to introduce its products for other market segments.

Econ products save and conserve significant electrical energy at a lower cost. Econ’s proprietary and patented technology also makes energy conversion products for alternative energy such as wind, fuel and solar cell inverters cheaper and more energy efficient.

Econ’s high-intensity discharge electronic ballasts reduce energy consumption by saving at least 25 percent electrical energy over the life of a lamp because of improved lamp ignition and light maintenance, and controlling power throughout the lamp life and high-efficiency power conversion technology.

Econ intends to market its products primarily by forming strategic partnerships with reputable national and international companies. In certain niche areas, the company intends to market its products through direct sales.

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