New hybrid HiLight BI+ 4 light tower from Atlas Copco improves energy efficiency and operational productivity

• Atlas Copco introduces the HiLight BI+ 4, its first hybrid light tower, featuring SMD LED lighting and lithium-ion batteries, aimed at reducing carbon footprint and operating costs for construction sites, events, mines, emergency applications, and rental companies.

• The HiLight BI+ 4 offers four operating modes, including mains electricity, battery, diesel engine, or hybrid, with a battery autonomy of seven hours at full capacity and over 20 hours with dimming function, plus a recharge time of four hours.

• The hybrid light tower boasts the lowest average fuel consumption in its class at 0.29l/h and can reduce CO2 emissions by up to seven tonnes per unit per year compared to traditional diesel-powered light towers.

• Equipped with a 5kW lithium-ion battery, the HiLight BI+ 4 outperforms AGM lead acid battery-powered towers, offering a longer lifespan of approximately 36,500 hours and a 60% reduction in engine runtime, leading to longer service intervals and lower Total Cost of Ownership.

• The HiLight BI+ 4 features efficient SMD LED lights that are 20% more efficient than COB LED lights, with four 150W floodlights covering 4,000m2, and is designed for easy operation with hydraulic mast lifting and electric mast rotation.

• Atlas Copco's HiLight BI+ 4 is 15% lighter than other hybrid light towers on the market, enhancing transportability with up to 22 units fitting on a standard 13-metre Eurotruck, improving operational efficiency.

• The company also launches the HiLight PS 3 and PE 3 portable light towers, both incorporating SMD LED floodlights with 3,000m2 coverage, dimming ability, and compatibility with smartphones and Wi-Fi, with the PS 3 model offering optional solar panel integration.

Atlas Copco has launched its first hybrid light tower, the HiLight BI+ 4, which is set to transform industry. The innovative light tower incorporates state-of-the-art surface mount device (SMD) LED lighting technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide excellent performance and efficiency. Operators at construction sites, events, mines, emergency applications and rental companies will be able to reduce their carbon footprint and operating costs while improving sustainability levels – both environmentally and in business.

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Combining the use of lithium-ion batteries with a low-consumption Stage V diesel engine, the new HiLight BI+ 4 light tower offers users maximum flexibility as it has four operating modes: it can be powered directly from mains electricity, from its lithium-ion batteries, from its diesel engine, or from a hybrid setting to make the most of the energy available.

The light towers have a battery autonomy of seven hours when operating at their full potential. And, when using their dimming function, they can provide over 20 hours of silent and emission-free operation with a single charge. With a battery recharging time of just four hours, the HiLight BI+ 4 can also feature an external power plug as an option.

When operating in hybrid mode, relying on both the batteries and the engine, the light tower’s fuel consumption is an average of 0,29l/h, which is the lowest average fuel consumption in its class of light towers. Thanks to the incorporation of a battery, operators can reduce up to seven tonnes of CO2 per unit, per year, compared to traditional diesel-powered light towers. By optimizing their energy consumption, users can reduce their environmental impact and improve their profitability considerably.

The 5kW lithium-ion battery technology delivers a higher performance than comparative light towers powered by absorbent glass mat (AGM) lead acid batteries. The lifespan of a lithium-ion battery is superior in comparison and is expected to last approximately 36,500 hours, compared to just 1,500 hours for AGM lead acid batteries.

Introducing the ability to use batteries reduces the use of the engine, which extends the unit’s lifetime and results in a temporary lighting solution with a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).  With a 60% reduction in engine runtime, service intervals are three times longer than light towers that run solely on diesel. The HiLight BI+ 4 requires minimal maintenance every 1,500 hours of lighting, so users can save on costs associated with servicing.

The flexible temporary lighting solution is also the first of Atlas Copco’s light towers to feature highly efficient SMD LED lights, which are 20% more efficient than alternative Chip-on-Board (COB) LED lights found in alternative light towers and competitive solutions. Each light tower has four floodlights providing 150W power to reliably cover 4,000m², extending the working days and contributing towards a safe working environment. The HiLight BI+ 4 is ergonomic, with fully hydraulic mast lifting and electric mast rotation, which is easily controlled on the system’s control panel.

The box-type light tower is 15% lighter than any hybrid light tower available on the market. Operators can fit up to 22 units on a standard 13-metre Eurotruck, which positively impacts transportability and improves operational efficiency.

“Sustainability is increasingly important for our customers as they look to improve their environmental credentials, and so we have made it front of mind when designing new equipment,” says Eric Tomin, Product Marketing Manager Lighting Towers and Portable Generators at Atlas Copco Power and Flow division. “This new hybrid light tower is the first of a kind, combining the very latest SMD lighting technology with lithium-ion batteries to deliver the very best performance and efficiency.”

Atlas Copco is also launching the HiLight PS 3 and PE 3 portable light towers to expand its range further. Both models incorporate efficient SMD LED floodlights and provide high luminosity with 3,000m² of light coverage (with an average of 20 luxes) over a long lifetime of up to 50,000 hours. They ensure a stable and reliable light source for work sites, being certified to withstand wind speeds of up to 50km/h without the need for fixing systems.

The compact HiLight PE 3 is a static light tower on a tripod, whereas the HiLight PS 3 is available on a trolley for easier transportation. Both light towers have dimming ability, providing versatility on site, and can be easily operated from a smartphone and Wi-Fi connection. The HiLight PS 3 is designed to be powered by the ZBP2000 battery-based energy storage system and is available with two 200W foldable solar panels so users can optimize energy usage.

These new solutions are a welcome addition to Atlas Copco’s wider portfolio of light towers, which also comprises the newly introduced models of mobile light towers which include a variety of energy-efficient solutions, such as electric and solar units.