Special to the OBSERVER
National Grid understands the importance of celebrating the holiday season with family and friends, and warm, colorful lighting. While the current economic climate may be imposing for many customers especially during the holidays, by following some simple energy efficiency and safety tips, customers can benefit from a more environmentally friendly, safe and cost-effective way to save money this holiday season.
Over the past few years, new lighting alternatives have become available that may cost more initially, but cost much less to maintain and operate. Energy-efficient miniature or light-emitting diode (LED) lights use considerably less energy than traditional lighting technology. The list below provides customers with the potential costs associated with each type of lighting.
Traditional Lights - These lights use about five watts per bulb. A typical residential customer with a rate of 15 cents per kWh will pay $33.75 a month to operate 10 strings of 25-bulb traditional bulbs for six hours per day.
Miniature Lights - The average miniature light uses 0.5 watts per bulb. Operating ten strings of the bulbs, at 100-bulbs per string for the same six hours, will cost the typical residential customer $13.50 per month.
Icicle Lights - Icicle lights use the same amount of energy per miniature bulb as miniature light strands, but a string of icicle lights with 100 bulbs will cover a much shorter distance than a straight string of miniature lights. Adding additional strands of lights will increase the typical residential customer's electricity usage.
LED Lights - LED lights use only 0.05 watts per bulb, or 1/10 the amount of miniature bulbs. Due to their solid-state construction, these bulbs are safer and more durable. Ten sets of 100 of these LED bulbs will cost the typical residential customer $1.35 per month to operate.
Regardless of the lights you choose, additional energy and cost can be saved by turning lights off and unplugging before going to bed or installing an automatic timer that can reduce power usage by turning the lights on at dusk and turning them off at a desired time.
Also, consider using fewer lights and more decorations that do not use energy - such as wreaths or poinsettias.