In our continued efforts to become a sustainable business, solar power is now fully operational here at Inkifingus Melbourne. Based on the progress we’ve been making, and the results we’re seeing we wanted to provide some of further updates on these changes.
The Solar Power Story So Far
Solar panels being installed at Inkifingus Printers Melbourne
As we mentioned in our previous update (The Inkifingus Shift to Solar Power), our solar panel installation at our Notting Hill location in Victoria came to a successful finish in November of 2020.
Before we’d even done this, we had already put in place a number of steps to be more energy efficient. This included the transition from traditional to LED lighting, which tends to consume energy up to 75% less than incandescent light bulbs. We’d also transitioned to using automatic switches, which link to sensors that turn lights off when there isn’t anybody using a room. These have proven to be simple, but significant ways to avoid wasting energy.
Was It Worth Installing Solar Power?
The sun is an incredibly abundant, but only a partially tapped resource when it comes to energy. Through ongoing technology advancements, we’re more and more able to harness the power it provides so businesses can become more sustainable and efficient. The value of transitioning to solar power is no longer just a ‘feel good’ theory, and we have the numbers to back it up.
Since installing solar panels, we’ve been generating 65% of our power through them. As our initial target was to generate 50% of our energy through solar power, this clearly shows the performance is over and above what we expected. We’re really happy with this, and whilst it seems like we’re ahead on our goals, it’s also to be expected as these were the summer months meaning the panels have been catching much more sunlight than they may in other seasons of the year. However, even when winter comes, we’re expecting to generate 30 – 40% of our power, meaning we’ll still be on track as we’ve had higher power generation so far.
It is a positive direction towards energy savings and sustainability. As we continue to adapt to the change, we can safely provide services that will generate more value.
What’s Next for Us as Sustainable Printers?
Our move to solar power was a big one, but definitely won’t be the last.
If we keep seeing the kind of progress we’re making now, we have plans to install solar panels at our second Notting Hill location. As well as our shifts to solar power, we’re also looking into our recycling options. These include office supplies and equipment – from the paper and packaging we use, to wall planners, repositional whiteboards and other items we consume in the office, to what we do with our old and eventually obsolete equipment.
The biggest challenge lies in finding just the right people who are able to collect, breakdown and recycle the metals, plastics and materials in our old equipment and machinery. Thought out segregation and disposal of old equipment is fast becoming a part of our next steps to help us drive and promote environmentally friendly printing in the direct and indirect aspects of what we do.
Conclusion
As a Melbourne based sustainable printing company, this is an ongoing journey for us. We have taken quite a few steps towards our goals, but know we’ll find more opportunities as we continue to take steps forward.
Based on our journey to date, we’re seeing that a lot of little things can add up to produce significant benefits. With energy costs coming down, we’re now able to focus even more on the quality of service we deliver to our clients.
If you’d like to partner with a company that keeps sustainable practices front of mind, the team at Inkifingus would love to partner with you. Get in touch with us to find out how we can provide quality commercial print services in an energy efficient and sustainable way.
