AMARILLO, Texas (Sept. 12, 2018) – Effective lighting in warehouse and office spaces is key to the safety and comfort of workers no matter the job they perform, but the high cost to operate traditional lighting can eat into a company’s profits.
Budweiser Distributing, which operates a 140,000 square-foot facility in east Amarillo, has taken advantage of an Xcel Energy LED lighting rebate program that actually improved the facility’s lighting while significantly reducing monthly electricity costs.
“We are dropping our electric bill by almost a third of what it was this time last year,” said Steve Williams, operations manager for Budweiser. “The lighting has also improved the efficiencies and accuracy of the warehouse, proving to be a savings in lost sales due to misloads.”
More efficient use of energy is an important part of Budweiser’s strategy to control costs while making its workspaces brighter. The Amarillo facility recently retrofitted interior lighting with LED tube lighting that will shave almost 54 kilowatts from the facility’s electricity demand, and reduce annual electricity usage by more than 250,000 kilowatt-hours – equivalent to a month’s electricity consumption of 250 typical homes in the region. In addition to receiving the benefit of lower bills, Budweiser also receives a rebate on the cost of installing the lights.
Beyond lowering bills and improving working conditions, the Budweiser LED project contributes to company President Dean Morrison’s environmental stewardship goals. The use of LED’s in the Budweiser facility, which is a temperature-controlled warehouse, reduces heat and makes the facility’s refrigeration system more efficient. This, combined with the lower amount of energy used by LED lighting, makes the company a far more efficient user of energy.
Xcel Energy uses approved contractors to work with business and residential customers to improve their efficiency, and the Budweiser project was managed in partnership with Love Lighting Distribution, an energy-efficient lighting solutions company based in Amarillo. LED lighting is a leading way to maximize energy dollars because LEDs are the most energy-efficient bulb on the market. LEDs use up to 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 years.
“LED lighting doesn’t emit the heat traditional lighting does, which makes the HVAC more efficient,” said Bryan Whitson, an energy use specialist with Xcel Energy in Amarillo. “They do not contain mercury, which is an environmental hazard, and do not produce any ultraviolet light. They provide instant light at full brightness , no warm-up time needed, and emit a more directed light with less energy.”
Residential and commercial electric customers in Texas have a suite of energy efficiency and load management programs available to help save money and energy. While Xcel Energy manages the energy-saving incentives, programs are delivered through what is called a “Standard Offer Program,”
which simply means customers receive services through specially selected independent Energy Efficiency Service Providers. Visit www.xcelefficiency.com (external link) for details about these programs, including program manuals, EESP/project sponsor lists and more. For additional questions, contact Bryan Whitson, Xcel Energy Program Manager, at (806) 378-2887 or Bryan.J.Whitson@xcelenergy.com.
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
