Businesses and non-profit organizations across Michigan are snapping up rebates and grants offered by the Michigan Agency for Energy (MAE) to help them reduce their energy usage and cut energy bills.

(Image: Michigan Agency for Energy)

“Michigan’s new energy laws emphasize programs that help businesses reduce energy waste, and businesses are responding in large numbers – especially to rebates that involve switching to more efficient lighting” said Robert Jackson, director of MAE’s Energy Office, at an event held at Lansing-based Liquid Web as part of Energy Efficiency Day.

Since October last year, MAE has awarded 57 rebates and four grants for light emitting diode (LED) lighting, resulting in the installation of 30,815 LED light fixtures. The switch to more efficient LEDs, under MAE’s programs, will result in a savings of more than 4.2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.

In total, MAE received 113 applications for the $400,000 in funding that was available.

Liquid Web, a web hosting and cloud services company headquartered in Lansing, received three rebates and one grant totaling nearly $33,000 to convert its interior and exterior lighting to LEDs. The Lansing Board of Water and Light, the municipal electric utility that serves Liquid Web, will match that amount as part of its energy waste reduction program. Liquid Web also contributed to make additional improvements.

“As a global managed hosting provider, Liquid Web serves over 32,000 customers in 150 countries,” said Terry Flood, Liquid Web’s chief financial officer. “That means we manage over 25,000 servers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which requires an enormous amount of energy resulting in a cost of approximately $4 million per year.  Switching to LED lighting is part of a large energy conservation project that Liquid Web has been working on to reduce its carbon footprint and save on energy costs.

“The LED lighting project will help Liquid Web cut its energy usage and its bills immediately with a projected annual savings of $40,000,” Flood added. “We appreciate the opportunity to be a greener, environmentally friendly company. Power cost is one of the leading drivers in determining where to locate and grow operations. Savings from efficiencies and partners in the community help Liquid Web, and Michigan, compete on the worldwide stage.”

“The rebate programs related to LEDs are just the latest example of how the Michigan Agency for Energy is helping schools, municipalities, manufacturers, small businesses and others take the next step to cut energy waste,” Jackson added.

Governor Rick Snyder has designated October 5 as Energy Efficiency Day in Michigan.