Governance
Daylight Harvesting
- 04 Mar 2022
- 4 min read
For Prelims: Daylight Harvesting, Building's Energy Efficiency, Initiatives to Promote Energy Efficiency.
For Mains: Significance of Daylight Harvesting in Energy Conservation.
Why in News
Recently, the Ministry of Science & Technology has decided to promote a unique Start-up in the latest Daylight Harvesting Technology in order to reduce carbon footprint and improve the building's energy efficiency.
- The Ministry will give Rs 5 Crore of the 10 Crore project to Skyshade company for developing new technologies for basement illumination on a 24x7 basis.
- The company aims to create Green & Net zero buildings and to participate and contribute in national missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
What is Daylight Harvesting?
- Daylight Harvesting is a method of saving the energy costs associated with lighting. It makes use of the available sunlight.
- The solar energy spectrum has 45% energy as visible light and this can be used to harvest building illumination for about 9-11 hours a day.
- It is one of the most advanced techniques used in sustainable lighting designs for contemporary buildings.
- It automatically dims or adjusts the brightness of light in response to the amount of natural light available in a space.
- Utilising natural daylight coming through the windows or skylights minimises the amount of energy used in artificial lighting.
- The daylight harvesting system employs light sensors, also known as photocell sensors, to detect the prevailing light level in the environment.
- It then sends the intensity of light received to a controller, which is connected to the lighting control system. The control system in turn adjusts the electric lights automatically according to the measured light level.
What is the Significance of Daylight Harvesting?
- Energy Savings:
- It increases energy savings by dimming or turning Off lights based on the natural daylight entering the space.
- Provides Comfort and Convenience:
- It helps to maintain proper light intensity in a space by continuously and automatically adjusting lights.
- Healthier Working Conditions:
- Providing right amounts of light to people helps in maintaining proper circadian rhythms that are crucial to good health and adequate sleep besides preventing seasonal affective disorders.
- Circadian rhythm is the 24-hour cycle that tells our bodies when to sleep, rise, and eat—regulating many physiological processes.
- Letting in natural light to workplaces provides better concentration, creates a positive mood, and drives healthier employee life.
- Providing right amounts of light to people helps in maintaining proper circadian rhythms that are crucial to good health and adequate sleep besides preventing seasonal affective disorders.
- Reduce Carbon Emission:
- Daylight is available universally and it is a very clean and cost-efficient source of energy.
- Meeting our energy requirement during the day by using daylight harvesting technology will contribute immensely to meet one of the commitments of the five nectars of “PANCHAMRIT” i.e., to make India a Net Zero emission country by 2070.
