The printing industry has traditionally been seen as ‘energy hungry’ one, but the the drive for a greener world has never been more alive at Inkifingus. We are continually exploring options that will make our business more sustainable, and what we’re looking into now is transitioning to the use of solar power in our business operations.
The use of solar energy is well known – but not all businesses have decided to grab hold of this opportunity. We believe that this project will benefit not just our business, but the ongoing journey to a more sustainable world.
Our Journey So Far
Across our Inkifingus facilities, we have already started the movement by installing LED lights. These lights are far more energy-efficient compared to other lighting systems. We also use timers that automatically turn the lights off when not in use. These efforts help to bring down our energy usage by up to 30%. You can find out more about our sustainable printing practices here.
Where to Next?
The LED lights and timers are a big step – but just one of our first steps. Our next major project (as part of our ongoing energy plan) is to invest in solar power for our business premises. The best way to generate energy is through natural means, and the sun is a great start.
Solar panels are being installed in many buildings today, both commercial and household, for a two-fold purpose. The primary purpose is to minimise the carbon footprint and water usage in the business, with an added benefit being it can cut down electricity costs.
What Is Solar Power?
There are a range of renewable energy sources such as wind and hydro energy, with solar energy being one of the most common renewable energy sources being used across commercial and residential buildings. Solar power is the energy harnessed from the sun, which can then be converted into electric or thermal energy. This is the most abundant energy resource we can find on the planet as the sun is always there to shine and give us an almost unlimited supply of solar energy.
According to Geoscience Australia, in Australia we receive the highest amount of solar radiation per year with an average of 58 million PJ (petajoules). Apparently, we’re not using this benefit as solar energy accounts for only 0.1% of the total energy consumption. At Inkifingus we believe we need to do our part by finding a way to take advantage of this position as part of our sustainability endeavours.
Advantages of Solar Power
There’s a wide range of benefits we can get by using solar energy. Here are just some of the many advantages:
Reduced Water Consumption
Water is an extremely vital resource in our planet, so we should avoid wasting it as much as possible. The traditional production of electricity requires a large volume of water as it’s used to cool generators, process fuel and transport the fuel through pipes. The good thing about solar energy is that it doesn’t need any water during the conversion process.
Reduced Air Pollution
When fossil fuels are burned for electricity generation, a considerable amount of harmful carbon dioxide and methane is released into the air. Inhaling these substances can have detrimental effects on our health. Worst case scenario, we can experience lung and heart-related diseases. We could say that solar energy doesn’t just reduce air pollution, but promotes a good and healthy body.
Reduced Effect on Climate Change
Aside from contributing to air pollution, the toxic gases released also contribute to the overall greenhouse effect. We need to remember that the greenhouse effect is a natural system that our planet enjoys in order to have sufficient heating for inhabitation. However, an overly unhealthy level of greenhouse gases will heat our planet faster and could contribute to catastrophic weather events in the world. Solar energy production doesn’t have any greenhouse emissions, making it healthier for the environment.
Reduced Carbon Footprint
When tapping into the grid for electricity, your household or business will contribute to the carbon footprint. Installing solar panels allows you to generate your own electricity meaning we can reduce the burden on the grid and reduce the contribution to this carbon footprint. Furthermore, in a lot of cases we’re able to export any unused solar electricity back to the grid.
Reduced Fossil Fuel Usage
Just by looking at the sun, you can just see how abundant it is as a resource. In comparison, fossil fuels are continuously exploited and will eventually be scarce in the future giving us even more of a reason to look to the sun as a more sustainable energy source.
It’s Time To Act
The clock is ticking and we need to act fast. The sooner we shift to solar energy, the lesser our impact will be to the world. This is our next step at Inkifingus and whilst it’s not the ‘silver bullet’ – we’re always searching for ways to look after the planet we’re living and operating in, and hope this encourages others to do the same in their home or business.
