Mohave Electric Cooperative presented Tri-State Building Materials/Ace Hardware with a rebate check following a complete store retrofit from fluorescent lighting to LED. Following the retrofit completed by APO Electrical, the lighting load was cut nearly in half. In the photo, from left, MEC energy management specialist Steve Bouman, MEC board president Joe Anderson, store president Michael Paul, and APO’s Chris Morgan. CONTRIBUTED/MEC

BULLHEAD CITY – Converting from traditional incandescent and fluorescent lighting to LED isn’t just beneficial to savings accounts, the move provides relief during hot summer months.

To provide the impetus for the switch, Mohave Electric Cooperative offers a Commercial Lighting Rebate to businesses that convert to 100 percent LED.

The first to complete the transition was Tri-State Building Materials/Ace Hardware in Fort Mohave.

“The rebate was a strong incentive to do the project, but the savings with LED lighting is incentive in itself,” said Michael Paul, president of the Fort Mohave, Bullhead, and Kingman Ace Hardware stores. “We have seen a significant reduction in our utility bill.”

This fact comes as no surprise to MEC energy management specialist Steve Bouman, who explained only 10 percent of the energy used with incandescent bulbs produces light; the other 90 percent produces heat. LED bulbs use about 75 percent less energy and may last up to 50 times longer.

“I think the rebate is a good incentive to save electricity, especially during summer when we have high peak demand for electricity,” said Joe Anderson, MEC board president.

Since the retrofit from fluorescent to LED, the electrical demand for the lighting load at the store was cut nearly in half.

For more information, call 928-763-1100 and select option 5. Members wanting to learn about other MEC programs can visit www.mohaveelectric.com.