January 30, 2019 at 4:45 p.m.
Bonus incentives convince food pantry to invest in energy efficiency
Bonus incentives convince food pantry to invest in energy efficiency
"The Rhinelander Area Food Pantry (RAFP) started providing food for area families in 2005, and it has grown to the point where it served 500,000 pounds of food to more than 900 households in 2017," according to a Focus on Energy press release. "The RAFP relies heavily on donations and volunteer manpower, so it is cautious when considering costly projects. But the bonus financial incentives offered through the CSBO made energy efficiency a priority. The food pantry was familiar with Focus on Energy, having taken advantage of the program's financial incentives in 2014 when it moved into its current building and invested in some fluorescent light tubes. They liked the improved lighting quality but by 2018, they found they were replacing the fluorescent bulbs and ballasts on a regular basis. Around the same time, the food pantry's utility, WPS, announced it was partnering with Focus on Energy to bring the CSBO to Rhinelander small businesses. Through the offering, the RAFP qualified for a free energy assessment and a 50 percent bonus on all financial incentives for projects completed before the end of the year."
An Energy Advisor with Focus on Energy met with RAFP Executive Director Guy Hanson to walk through the facility and identify energy saving opportunities. Hansen said the food pantry started looking for high-efficiency LED lighting products and considered installing the upgraded lights themselves, but they also reached out to get a quote from Nate Carr at Wireline Inc, a Focus on Energy Trade Ally contractor, the release explains.
"We were impressed with Nate's quote," Hanson said. "He quoted the project life as 22,000 hours versus the 6,000 for the products we were looking at buying through Home Depot. The quality of the products that qualified for the Focus (on Energy) incentives was far greater than others that didn't."
The RAFP went with Carr's quote and installed 190 LEDs, which will save the food pantry an estimated $791 a year on its energy bills, according to the release. The lighting project also earned the organization a total financial incentive of $1,215 from Focus on Energy, which is $405 more than it would have been without the CSBO bonus incentives.
WPS is one of the 107 utilities that fund the Focus on Energy program. Ratepayers served by those utilities are eligible for the energy expertise and financial incentives Focus on Energy offers to businesses, homeowners, farms, schools and local governments. The most recent independent evaluation found every $1 invested in Focus on Energy programs creates $5.93 in benefits for Wisconsin, including economic benefits, reduced energy costs, and reduced pollution.
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