New York Power Authority Begins Energy Savings Light Upgrades at State Museum to Cut Costs an Protect Environment

The New York Power Authority has begun a lighting upgrade project at the New York State Museum in Albany that is expected to save more than $160,000 in annual energy costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 900 tons a year, the equivalent of taking 190 cars off the road.

The project, which is being financed and implemented by the New York Power Authority, is part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s BuildSmart NY program, a comprehensive statewide initiative to increase energy efficiency in public buildings. BuildSmart NY is a key program underpinning the Governor’s Reforming the Energy Vision strategy to build a cleaner, more affordable and resilient energy system for all New Yorkers, and supports the state’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent by 2030.

“Energy-saving measures like the State Museum project are what will help define the success of REV,” said Richard Kauffman, chairman, Energy and Finance, Office of the Governor. “This project will lower the bottom-line costs of operating the museum and work toward the larger goal of achieving a clean energy economy in New York State.”

BuildSmart NY, which was launched in 2012, will save millions of taxpayer dollars while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. State-owned buildings currently consume approximately five percent of the energy used by all buildings in New York.

NYPA is partnering with the New York State Education Department, which runs the museum. The Power Authority is providing more than $1.7 million in financing for the energy efficiency upgrades.
...
All of the existing, inefficient incandescent lighting throughout the museum’s exhibit areas will be replaced with high-performance LED track lighting. About 2,000 fixtures will be installed, along with a lighting-control system that will enable staff to illuminate specific areas and pathways to meet the particular needs of an exhibit.
...
The project is expected to complete this summer.

 https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/information/aboutus/

http://www.nypa.gov/Press/2016/021816.html

New York Power Authority www.NYPA.gov

Press Release dated February 18, 2016

What [February 12’s] Lighting Efficiency Proposal Is And What It Isn’t

[On February 12th] the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed an efficiency standard for General Service Lamps, better known as light bulbs.

 

[The] proposal is the next step in a legally required public process that started more than two years ago. DOE’s leading experts in lighting and energy efficiency at our National Labs conducted months of research and analysis to understand the efficiency, affordability and reliability of today’s lighting technologies. That analysis was used to inform the proposed rule that was released.... Over the next 60 days, DOE will gather input from the public, stakeholders and industry. DOE expects to issue a final rule by January 1, 2017.

...

In 2007, Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA), which set initial efficiency standards for light bulbs. EISA also required DOE to decide whether stricter efficiency standards for light bulbs were needed and, if so, to work with industry and the public to develop these new rules. Finally, EISA specified a minimum efficiency level or “backstop” requirement for light bulbs if DOE fails to complete the rules required by the law.
In recent years, appropriations bills funding DOE have included language actually prohibiting DOE from spending funds to implement or enforce standards for incandescent light bulbs specifically....

Today, DOE is proposing a new lighting standard that would apply to General Service Lamps, including LED and compact fluorescent lights. This rule would take effect in 2020. These standards would not apply to incandescent bulbs, which will instead need to meet the congressionally mandated backstop also starting in 2020.
...
Earlier this month, General Electric announced that it is discontinuing the manufacturing of coiled CFLs for the U.S. market. In their announcement, GE noted the superior performance and dropping prices for LEDs. Ikea has sold only LED lamps in their stores since September 2015. And the National Electrical Manufacturers Association reported that shipments of LED lights jumped 237 percent third quarter of 2015, compared to the same period in 2014.

...

Higher efficiency means lower utility bills for American families and businesses. LED lights, which will continue to gain popularity in the market, use 80 percent less power than many of today’s bulbs. They also last far longer. That means big savings on energy and maintenance bills.

 

A mother who installs a LED light when her child is born won’t need to change the bulb until after her kid graduates from college. For every LED light she might use, she’d have to buy 25 incandescents. She would also spend $129 on electricity using a traditional bulb vs. $26 for a comparative LED.

Just a few years ago, a single LED could cost as much as $100. Thanks to major breakthroughs in technology, LED prices continue to plummet, bringing the upfront cost nearly competitive with conventional bulbs. You can now find LED bulbs for under $5 at hardware stores across America.
Beyond significant cost savings for consumers, these efficiency regulations will also significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2014 alone, LED installations prevented 7.1 million metric tons of CO2 emissions and saved $1.4 billion in energy costs. As a result of this proposed rule, more than 52 million metric tons of CO2 emissions would be eliminated.  That’s equivalent to the annual electricity use of 7.2 million homes. This rule, if finalized as proposed, would also help save families and businesses over $9 billion on utility bills and new bulbs over 30 years of shipments.

http://energy.gov/articles/what-today-s-lighting-efficiency-proposal-and-what-it-isn-t

U.S. Department of Energy www.Energy.gov Press Release dated February 12, 201