The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) is saving the state approximately $42,000 per year on energy costs by switching thousands of compact fluorescent light bulbs to LED light bulbs. 

(Image: Natural Gas Now)

Approximately 10,000 bulbs in the agency’s Kanawha City headquarters have been changed, and the recently completed field office in Fayetteville was constructed with LED light bulbs already included. 

The new LED bulbs have an expected life span of nearly 50,000 hours. If the light bulbs are burned for 8 hours per day, five days per week, that means the bulbs will last approximately 20 years. 

The WVDEP purchased the bulbs at a cost of $118,000, but thanks to a $28,376 rebate from Appalachian Power the investment in this project is approximately $90,000. The new bulbs will save WVDEP an estimated $42,000 per year, meaning the LED bulbs will pay for themselves in energy savings in two to three years. 

“This project shows how the simplest changes can make a huge difference both for the amount of energy that is consumed and how much money is spent by the state,” said WVDEP Cabinet Secretary Austin Caperton. “The WVDEP not only talks the talk but also walks the walk when it comes to helping to save energy and make sure that we are good stewards of the taxpayers’ money.” 

The bulbs that were removed from WVDEP headquarters are being used in other state office buildings.