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| LPEA Offers Rebates on Energy Saving Bulbs | ||
| Indiana Reed | 7/22/10 | ||
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| Back to the News Summaries | ||
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To further its goal to help customers save energy and dollars, La Plata Electric Association (LPEA), in coordination with Tri-State Generation and Transmission’s Energy Efficiency Credits program, is offering rebates up to $20,000 per project to commercial customers to “change out the lights” in their retail, manufacturing or office facilities. Local businesses in LPEA’s service territory are now incentivized to replace their T-12 (tube type) fluorescent light fixtures with the smaller diameter T-8 or T-5 bulbs. The smaller bulbs, which operate with an electronic ballast as opposed to the magnetic ballast of the older T-12, are 27 to 35 percent more energy efficient. Further, beginning in 2012, the T-12 bulbs will no longer be available. “So eventually all customers with T-12 lighting will need to replace their lighting ballasts,” said Ray Pierotti, project specialist overseeing the LPEA lighting rebate program. “We want to encourage our customers to do it today as not only will they realize the generous rebate, but also will start saving electricity and lowering their electric bills right away. For many commercial operations, this can be a significant savings.” Customers participating in the program receive a minimum of $250 per each kW of lighting load reduced at the facility, up to the $20,000 total, and the rebate is not to exceed 50 percent of the lamp material costs. To participate, commercial customers must engage a contractor, electrician or lighting designer, who will contact LPEA to report the lighting to be changed out and register the initial kW demand of existing fixtures. Once the project is complete, the rebate will be calculated and the business owner should start enjoying decreased electric usage and, quite often, improved lighting for employees and customers. LPEA will also continue to track the commercial customers’ electricity usage for the coming year to garner, over time, true data of energy and cost savings from the project. A “project” is considered a single contiguous location. Currently, Pierotti estimates a two to four year payback for the types of projects that are currently moving forward. The actual payback will depend on the size of the facility, the complexity of the retrofit, the hours of operations and the number of fixtures replaced. “As with all rebate programs, we wanted to iron out the specifics before opening it up to all commercial customers,” said Pierotti, noting that LPEA began identifying and working with “test” customers in April. “Now we have the mechanism in place to provide our commercial customers with their before and after kilowatt usage, and a streamlined process for providing the rebate funds.” To date, LPEA and Tri-State have provided approximately $15,000 in rebates, which translates into a reduction of more than 100 kilowatts of installed lighting for those completing their projects: Coca-Cola of Durango, Liquor World, Four Corners River Sports, Alco, Kroeger’s and Basin Co-op. LPEA has also changed out the lights in its Durango office. “Even though such a project may have been a costly endeavor for businesses in the past, with the payback today and the expected rise in the price of electricity in the future, the economics for our customers to make the change have never been better,” said Pierotti. “And a benefit we didn’t realize until our customers began changing out the ballasts is that the new lights actually are more pleasant for employees and customers. Everybody has noticed a difference.” According to Pierotti, the new T-8 and T-5 bulbs don’t have the underlying “hum” traditionally associated with fluorescent bulbs, plus they don’t flicker. Retailers also note that the new lights have enhanced the merchandise on display in their stores, potentially increasing sales. “An added benefit of bringing these rebate dollars to the LPEA service territory is the economic impact for the local electrical contractors and local economy,” said Greg Munro, LPEA CEO, noting that the response from electricians has been favorable. “They see this program as an opportunity to help ‘relamp’ many of the local businesses with new, energy efficient lights. They also appreciate LPEA’s assistance in lowering businesses’ initial out-of-pocket, upfront, costs to make their companies more energy efficient.” According to Munro, LPEA believes there could be tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars of cumulative work in 2010 for electricians changing out fixtures in La Plata and Archuleta counties. Tri-State Energy Efficiency Credits also currently available to commercial customers through LPEA are LED refrigerated case lighting retrofit and LED street lighting, which includes commercial parking lots where the lights are not owned by LPEA. Commercial operations currently have through the end of 2010 to take advantage of all rebates, though hope is that they will continue into 2011. To initiate the process, commercial customers or their electricians/lighting designers can contact Pierotti at 970.382.7770 or rpierotti@lpea.coop. LPEA, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, provides to its more than 30,000 members with in excess of 40,000 meters, safe, reliable electricity at the lowest reasonable cost, while being environmentally responsible. For additional information, contact LPEA at 970.247.5786 or visit the LPEA website. | ||
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