Case Study: Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs Franchise Owner Mick McDonough was tired of buying and replacing burned out fluorescent tubes and lamps. With his restaurant’s long hours of operation, it seemed that there was always a light out. LED lights were installed that not only provide brighter, maintenance free lighting, but were also eligible for an SCE&G utility rebate (similar rebates are also available on Georgia Power). 

The SCE&G lighting rebate program is offered to commercial and industrial customers, both retrofit and new construction. The amount of the SCE&G incentive is offered based upon the number of watts reduced multiplied by 35 cents per saved watt. If you replace a typical 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a 10 watt LED light bulb you save 50 watts and are eligible for a $17.50 rebate. That’s huge! But before you think that SCE&G is going to pay you to change out your old light bulbs, you need to know that the rebate is capped at 50% of the overall project cost including installation. 

So how did the retrofit project work for Mick at Firehouse Subs? 

Project Overview

Cost of Project
Project Cost ($) 1,657
Incentives ($) (620)
Net Cost of Project ($) 1,037

Annual Operating Savings
Energy Savings ($) 652
Maintenance Savings ($) 121
Total Annual Operating Savings ($) 773

Operating Savings Over 10 Years
Energy Savings ($) 6,527
Maintenance Savings ($) 1,212
Total Operating Savings Over 10 Years ($) 7,739

Payback Period (years)    0.5

Here’s what Mick had to say about the project:

Whether your project is big or small, you should consider what utility rebates can mean for your bottom line. Let our team help you with your utility rebate on your next project.