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ENERGY
EFFICIENT LIGHTING. BUT
UPGRADING LIKE THAT CAN
BE TIME CONSUMING AND COSTLY.
KCRG T-V NINE'S FORREST SAUNDERS
JOINS US IN THE
STUDIO TONIGHT. FORREST, HOW
DOES THIS
PROGRAM HELP?
NOT ONLY BY SIMPLIFYING THINGS,
BUT BY SAVING MONEY.
THE SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY
SOLUTIONS
PROGRAM WILL PAY A PORTION OF
THE TOTAL LIGHTING
PROJECT COST. IT'S A BRIGHT
IDEA FOR
BUSINESSES THAT COULDN'T AFFORD
AN UPGRADE IN THE
PAST.
BUDGET OF CEDAR RAPIDS OWNER DAN
CALLAHAN
DOESN'T SELL BRAKE PADS - BUT HE
DOES WISH HIS
FLORESCENT LIGHTING FROM THE 70S
WOULD GIVE HIM A
BREAK."I'M STRUGGLED WITH THE
BALUSTERS
GOING OUT, THE FLORESCENT BULBS
BEING CHANGED
CONSTANTLY AND JUST THE OVERALL
FLICKERING OF
THE LIGHTS CAN DRIVE YOU CRAZY,"
DAN'S GOT A PLAN TO FIX
THAT.HE'S TAKING OUT ALL
OF THE FLORESCENT LIGHTS, AND
PUTTING IN
THESE GREENER LED ONES. "I'VE
BEEN LOOKING AT
THIS FOR OVER TWO YEARS AND IT'S
FINALLY BECOME
AFFORDABLE," HERE'S WHY. DAN'S
PROJECT IS ESTIMATED TO COST
MORE THAN 25-
THOUSAND DOLLARS. BUT, THROUGH
ALLIANT'S SMALL
BUSINESS ENERGY SOLUTIONS
PROGRAM, HE'LL
BE GTING 91-HUNDRED DOLLARS
BACK.
PLUS, THE NEW LIGHTS WILL SAVE
MONEY ON ELECTRIC BILLS.
AN ESTIMATED 65-HUNDRED
ANNUALLY, FOR DAN.
"IT'S A LOT. IT'S GOING TO MAKE
ME TAKE A LOOK AT MY HOUSE,"
HERE'S HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS. A
CONTRACTOR EVALUATES ANY
QUALIFIED SMALL
BUSINESS' LIGHTING. MAKES A
LIGHTING
IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL, AND STARTS
WORKING.
ONCE THE PROJECT IS DONE ALLIANT
PAYS PART OF
THE OVERALL BILL. "UP TO 75
PERCENT OF
THE COST TO REPLACE ALL THOSE
LIGHTS,"
ALLIANT OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT
TO HELP
BUSINESSES LIKE DAN'S BECAUSE
MORE EFFICIENT
LIGHTS HELP THEM, IN THE LONG
RUN.
"WE'RE ABLE TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT
OF ENERGY THAT
WE NEED TO GENERATE ON A DAILY
BASIS,"
IT'S A WIN, WIN SCENARIO - THAT
HAS CERTAINLY LEFT
DAN ILLUMINATED. "HAVE I EVER
THOUGHT I'D BE
EXCITED ABOUT THE LIGHTS? NO,
THIS IS A FIRST,"
HE'S GOING GREEN AND SAVING
SOME ALL AT THE
SAME TIME.
THIS PROGRAM STARTED UP LAST
YEAR AND WENT
STATEWIDE IN JANUARY. SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT QUALIFY HAVE TO
GET ELECTRICITY FROM ALLIANT.
HAVE AN ANNUAL ELECTRIC BILL
LESS THAN 50-
THOUSAND DOLLARS. AND OCCUPY
LESS THAN 20-
THOUSAND SQUARE FEET.
AND GET THIS BRUCE. DAN AT
BUDGET SAYS HE'LL SAVE
SO MUCH MONEY, HE CAN HIRE A NEW
EMPLOYEE.