Xcel Energy Provides Bright Lights, Big Savings

Xcel Energy wants indoor growers to refit their facilities with energy-saving LED grow lights...

By Sensi Staff

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Xcel Energy wants indoor growers to refit their facilities with energy-saving LED grow lights and they are enticing customers with generous rebates to do it.

“The goal is to provide growers with incentives for purchasing and installing energy-efficient equipment,” says Joe Sullivan, Franklin Energy program manager for Xcel Energy’s Indoor Agriculture Business Energy Assessment. “A person might ask, ‘Why is my utility company giving me money to use less of their product? Well, rebates give customers more control over their bills which increases customer satisfaction and helping customers make the switch to energy efficient equipment helps avoid building more power plants.”

And for growers the incentive to switch to LED lighting goes beyond just energy savings. “There will be significant savings on the electric bill, but LEDs also benefit cannabis plants in the sense that they can increase yield,” says Sullivan. “With higher intensity light they enhance the quality of the product, the plant. With LEDs you can have pretty much any spectrum you want, so you dial it in to whatever your needs are. And there’s reduced operation and maintenance costs, because LEDs have a longer life than standard high-pressure sodium lights. You’re not replacing bulbs every six months or so, and they also emit less heat so you’re able to further save on AC or HVAC costs as well.”

The process for customers to receive a rebate for LED grow lighting is now easier than ever. “All customers have to do is download the LED grow lighting application to verify that their LED lighting equipment qualifies for rebates. After purchasing and installing qualifying equipment, customers fill out and submit the rebate application and their rebate check should arrive in six to eight weeks. If customers need help getting their rebate application processed Franklin Energy can help support that as well as provide expert technical assistance to help growers identify other energy savings projects at no cost.”

Franklin Energy was hired by Xcel Energy to help indoor agriculture customers navigate the entire rebate process and has extensive experience working with the cannabis industry.

How can a grower know if a transition to LEDs is right for them? “Well if they want to lower costs, be more competitive, increase yield and product output without making dramatic changes to the operation, that’s when LEDs are a really good choice.”