Energy Savings
The big cost for switching to LED technology is the initial cost. LEDs pay for themselves over a 1- to 2-year period depending on your cost of electricity and how much you use the lights.
Your eligibility for rebates depends upon what the utility company in your area is offering consumers. Most states in the United States offer rebates. Contact you local utility company for details.
Because LED lights produce significantly more light per watt consumed you don’t require as many lights to produce the same level of comfort, convenience and safety as with older lighting technologies. This means fewer fixtures with a corresponding reduction in capital costs.
Both State and Federal governments are offering rebates for implementing energy savings technologies. These rebates frequently come in the form of tax credits. Utility companies also offer one-time rebates as an incentive to switch to LED energy-saving technologies. The theory in both cases is that reduced demand from the lower power requirements of LED’s means less demand on the power generating capabilities of the utility. This means they can serve an increased customer base without adding generating capabilities thereby saving capital expenditures.
One of the popular options for lighting is fluorescent bulbs. They release various kinds of gas which are harmful to the environment and require special handling. Most Home Depots and Lowe’s accept some lengths of florescent bulbs for recycling. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find someone to take longer than four-foot bulbs. This places a hardship and increased costs on the end user. LED lights contain no harmful gases or byproducts so they can be disposed of without cost or hassle. In addition, their useful life means you are faced with disposal issues fewer times- once every ten (10) years.
Wild Ideas LED lights last, on average, ten (10) years versus regular lights at one (1) year. The LEDs Wild Ideas Light Company uses are rated for 100,000 hour of life. Our calculations are based on a life of 75,000 hours giving you a 25% margin on light life.
Many metal halide street light manufacturers suggest the ballast be changed when the light is changed. This means that approximately every year you are facing the expense of hiring a bucke truck and replacing both the light and the ballast. Wild Ideas Light Company’s 12-volt power pack used to power our LEDs is rated at 300,000 hours or three (3) LED changes. Our product reduces lighting equipment changes from once a year to once every ten (10 years) – a significant savings.
LED lights require less power to produce the same amount of light. On average there is a 60% savings in power consumption for LED lights over the standard incandescent bulb. The significance of this savings goes up as the kilowatt-per-hour rate goes up.
Using LED technology provides real savings to the consumer. Savings occur in the following ways:
1. Reduced electrical power usage costs.
2. Reduced lighting maintenance costs.
3. Reduced recycle / disposal fees.
4. Potential for government and / or utility rebates.
5. Improved lighting output requiring fewer lights.