The City of Sonoma just completed a lighting efficiency upgrade project to support the city’s goal of reducing greenhouse gases. Older, inefficient interior and exterior lighting in city-owned buildings were replaced with higher efficiency LED lighting, which included the City Hall, Carnegie Library, and the Corporation Yard, home of Public Works.
According to Travis Wagner, City of Sonoma’s Sustainability Coordinator, the new lighting will save an estimated 50,000 kWh per year and its associated greenhouse gas emissions. The City purchases EverGreen power from Sonoma Clean Power, among California’s cleanest sources of electricity. Other benefits of the new lighting are that it will save the city approximately $14,000 per year in energy costs, will reduce labor costs as LED lights last significantly lower, and mercury contained in fluorescent lighting was safely removed and managed.
The City was able to participate in a unique financing program offered by PG&E. In addition to free technical assistance to assess energy-efficient projects at municipal buildings, the lighting upgrade project is financed through a zero-interest loan. This means the monthly savings in the city’s energy bill will be applied to repaying the loan. After the loan is repaid, in about 4 years, the city will directly benefit from the cost savings.
Learn how you can reduce energy use at home on our Energy Conservation page.