Say Goodbye to T12 Fluorescent Lamps (Businesses: Get Your Rebates Now!)
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This July, U.S. lighting manufacturers will cease production of many T12 lamps in order to comply with Department of Energy (DOE) regulations. First announced in 2010, the DOE planned to phase out magnetic ballasts used in T12 lamps in favor of more energy-efficient T8 and T5 lamps.
Currently, the federal government uses financial incentives as a motivating factor for commercial lighting retrofits. Since T12 lamps will no longer be available, business consumers will have no choice but to utilize newer T8 and T5 lamps, meaning the government will no longer be offering rebates. So, if your company has been dragging its heels on a lighting retrofit, you may want to consider performing one now, before the rebates disappear.
Of course, incentives are only one reason to upgrade. According to Ourtakeongreen.com, by replacing a T12 system with a T8 system, you can reduce energy use by 33% and save $12 per fixture per year. If you have 1,000 fixtures, that means $12,000 a year in energy savings. Plus, the normal payback period for upgrading to T5 or T8 lamps is usually only 1-3 years.
Additionally, the T12 lamp only lasts for approximately 28,800 hours, while a T8 lamp can last for 36,000 hours and a T5 for 52,000. A longer life for your lamps means lower maintenance costs for your business.
Source: T12 Phase Out For July
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