By Sarah Butcher, Commercial Manager at Welfare Hire Nationwide
Here’s something I hear all the time when talking to contractors about tower lighting: “But your weekly rate is higher than the competition!”
I get it. When you’re looking at quotes and trying to keep project costs down, it’s tempting to go for the cheapest option. But here’s the truth that might surprise you: choosing tower lighting based purely on the lowest weekly hire rate is one of the most expensive mistakes you can make.
Let me explain why.
The hidden costs of ‘cheap’ lighting towers
Walk onto most construction sites today and you’ll see the same old units that have been kicking around for years. These traditional lighting towers seem like the sensible, budget-conscious choice when you’re comparing weekly rates.
But here’s what that attractive hire price doesn’t tell you:
Traditional towers typically feature:
- Just four lighting heads with metal halide illumination
- Around 400 watts total light output
- Aged, inefficient diesel engines consuming one litre of fuel per hour
- Higher CO₂ emissions
- Less illumination: meaning you need more towers to cover the same area
Over a standard 25-hour working period, you’re burning through 25 litres of diesel per tower. For night works at 60 hours? That’s 60 litres per week, per unit.
With diesel prices where they are, and only increasing, those fuel costs mount up shockingly fast. And that’s before you factor in the extra towers you’ll need because each unit simply doesn’t produce enough light.
A smarter approach to site lighting
At Welfare Hire, we’ve spent years helping contractors understand the true cost of their equipment choices. Our X-Eco range of tower lighting is a perfect example of why looking at the total picture matters so much more than just the weekly rate.
Our X-Eco LED tower: Smarter lighting, serious savings
Take our X-Eco LED, for instance. Here’s what makes it different:
Key features:
- 6 super-bright LED lamps producing 900 watts total (more than double traditional towers)
- Each tower covers the equivalent of half a football pitch—up to 20% greater light coverage
- 360° positioning to tailor lighting exactly where you need it
- Fuel efficiency of just 0.55 litres per hour (roughly half of standard units)
- 110-litre tank providing 200 hours of continuous light per refill
- 73% CO₂ reduction compared to standard units
- Automatic dusk-dawn sensor
- 8.5 metre hydraulic mast with AMOSS safety system
Real-world savings per tower:
- 25-hour operation: Save 10 litres of fuel, £17.50, and 26.2kg CO₂ per week
- 60-hour night works: Save 24 litres of fuel, £42, and 62.88kg CO₂ per week
Because you need fewer units to cover your site, those savings multiply quickly.
The X-Eco HYBRID: Even better efficiency
If you want to take things further, our X-Eco HYBRID uses AGM battery technology to achieve an impressive 58% silent green running time.
Key features:
- Silent running for 11-18 hours per cycle
- Fuel efficiency of just 0.23 litres per hour
- 220-litre tank providing 965 hours of continuous light per refill
- 88% CO₂ reduction
- Programmable timer with auto dusk-dawn sensor
- 8-hour recharge cycle
- Remote operating capability
Real-world savings per tower:
- 25-hour operation: Save 18 litres of fuel, £31.50, and 47kg CO₂ per week
- 60-hour night works: Save 43 litres of fuel, £75.60, and 113kg CO₂ per week
The X-Eco HYBRID LITHIUM: The game-changer
Here’s where it gets really interesting. Our X-Eco HYBRID LITHIUM represents the absolute cutting edge of sustainable site lighting.
Key features:
- Next-generation lithium hybrid technology
- 80% silent green running time
- Silent running for 11.5-36 hours per cycle
- Fuel efficiency of just 0.11 litres per hour
- 50-litre tank providing 455 hours of continuous light per refill
- 94% CO₂ reduction compared to standard units
- Rapid 3-hour recharge cycle
- Smart telemetry with remote monitoring and geofencing
- Programmable smart power management
Real-world savings per tower:
- 25-hour operation: Save 21 litres of fuel, £36.75, and 55kg CO₂ per week
- 60-hour night works: Save 50 litres of fuel, £88.20, and 132kg CO₂ per week
The unit can run completely silently for up to 36 hours on battery power alone. Perfect for night possessions or sites near residential areas where noise complaints are a concern.
What this means for your project
I know some contractors worry that our weekly rates look higher than the competition. But let me show you why that initial rate is only a tiny part of the story.
Let’s say you’re running lighting towers for a typical 12-week winter project. Here’s what choosing our X-Eco range would actually save you compared to those ‘cheap’ traditional towers:
12-week project savings (per tower):
- X-Eco LED: £1,668 saved in fuel + 983kg CO₂ prevented + 798 litres less fuel consumed
- X-Eco HYBRID: £2,241 saved in fuel + 1,682kg CO₂ prevented + 1,067 litres less fuel consumed
- X-Eco HYBRID LITHIUM: £2,432 saved in fuel + 1,944kg CO₂ prevented + 1,168 litres less fuel consumed
Now think about how many towers your site actually needs. Multiply those savings across your fleet, and suddenly that ‘bargain’ weekly rate on traditional towers looks very different indeed.
It’s not just about the money
It’s true; cost savings matter. But there’s more to this than just your bottom line.
With construction activity accounting for around 50 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually in the UK, and with net-zero targets looming, every contractor needs to demonstrate they’re taking sustainability seriously.
Our X-Eco range doesn’t just save money; it gives you the data to prove you’re making a difference. The smart telemetry built into our towers means you can generate detailed reports on your carbon savings for stakeholders and clients. That’s increasingly important when you’re bidding for new contracts.
Stop paying more for less
It’s understandable to choose the cheapest quote. But when it comes to tower lighting, that ‘cheap’ weekly rate is false economy.
You’ll burn through the difference in fuel costs within weeks. Add in extra towers for adequate coverage, servicing visits, potential noise complaints, and missed ESG opportunities, and those savings evaporate.
The next time you’re comparing quotes, ask yourself:
- What’s the actual fuel consumption per hour?
- How many towers do I need based on real light output?
- Can I prove my carbon savings to clients?
When you calculate the total cost properly, the choice becomes clear.
At Welfare Hire Nationwide, we offer expert guidance, nationwide next-day delivery, and the newest, most efficient fleet in the market. Our X-Eco range delivers brighter, more efficient illumination that costs less to run and dramatically reduces your carbon footprint.
Want to see the real numbers for your project? Get in touch and we’ll show you exactly what switching to our X-Eco range would mean for your site.
