Cleanlife Energy

Lighting a Brighter Future

338B D075

Author

George Mann

George Mann

School

Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead School of Management

Case Western Reserve University - Weatherhead School of Management

Professor

Chris Laszlo

Chris Laszlo

Global Goals

3. Good Health and Well-Being 7. Affordable and Clean Energy 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities 13. Climate Action 16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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Summary

Cleanlife Energy's purpose is to provide custom LED technology to businesses and niche markets too small for major light manufacturers, such as General Electric and Philips, to service.

The company's primary clients include vending, gaming, signage, food service, and the aftermarket automotive industry. These businesses require lights in specialized sizes and smaller batches, which scares away many major suppliers of LED lights. Because of Cleanlife's presence in the market, these industries are switching from power-hungry and pollutant-rich fluorescent light bulbs to LED's.

Innovation

Cleanlife Energy's LED light bulbs provide up to 50% energy savings compared to fluorescent bulbs and up to 80% savings compared to incandescent bulbs. Their drivers, or power supply, provide up to 90% efficiency and allow original equipment manufacturers to become Energy-Star certified and DOE compliant. Light bulb casings are made from food-grade polycarbonate plastic, which is sturdier than the glass casings used with fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.

Cleanlife is becoming a "one stop shop" for custom lighting needs. Their EZCONNECT wire harnessing technology allows end users to connect light bars to their custom applications without splicing wires. These harnesses are manufactured in the company's Cleveland, Ohio facility with components sourced from the local market.

Cleanlife is also prototyping controls and sensors that will increase the life of the light bulb and further lower energy costs. These innovations include technology that will allow the lights to turn on and off during different parts of the day and be triggered by motion activation. Cleanlife Energy is also developing a mobile application to control the lights.

The company's primary innovation is their business model, which caters to designing and producing special sized LED light bulbs. They sell to original equipment manufacturers and retrofit existing machines. Without Cleanlife Energy, these businesses would still be using fluorescent light bulbs.

Lighting a Brighter Future

Inspiration

When Cleanlife Energy CEO, Justin Miller, learned about the fluorescent light bulb manufacturing process while studying abroad in China, he was aghast by the negative environmental and health effects. Fluorescent lights use mercury that can seep out and pollute the environment when the gas casings break. The workers who produce these batteries are exposed to the mercury vapors during production, which leads to drastically reduced life spans.

LED light bulbs production facilities are safer, cleaner, and provide better wages to workers.

Overall impact

Cleanlife believes that converting to LED's is an easy, safe, and cost-effective way to reduce the world's hunger for energy.

While other clean energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, require large up-front costs and maintenance, LED bulbs do not. They work with existing sockets, are only marginally more expensive than fluorescent bulbs, and last seven times longer. The longer bulb life saves money and cuts environmental pollution and waste.

Business benefit

Customers who buy Cleanlife Energy bulbs know they are making an investment that will pay off.

While LED lights are about twice as expensive as fluorescent bulbs, they last almost seven times longer. This cuts maintenance costs seven fold and energy use by 50 percent.

For those manufacturing these bulbs, Cleanlife is providing the best lighting product on the market. These companies can use this technological advantage to market their products.

The brightness of LED light bulbs also has the added benefit of increasing sales for businesses who use them.

Social and environmental benefit

Cleanlife Energy is aiding in the transition to cleaner manufacturing in the lighting industry. By producing a mercury-free light bulb, Cleanlife Energy is helping to reduce mercury in our environment. Because the bulbs use up to 50% less energy, they also reduce the need for fossil fuels to power the bulbs.

With over 500,000 light bulbs sold and counting, Cleanlife is continuing to build a brighter future for the planet.

Interview

Justin Miller, CEO

Business information

Cleanlife Energy

Cleanlife Energy

Cleveland, OH, US
Business Website: http://www.cleanlifeled.com/
Year Founded: 2013
Number of Employees: 11 to 50

A Company Focused on Increasing Access to LED Lighting for Enterprises Large and Small