The Business

Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery has provided the tools to practice organic gardening, conservation and sustainability for more than 20 years. The business has grown from a converted chicken coop to an 8,000 square foot store and nursery on almost eight acres. Harmony also offers solar electric system design, supply and installation coordination. “Sustainability is what our business is all about,” said owner David Henry.

The Challenge

Henry, pointing to his solar electricity panels, practices what he preaches. He wasn’t aware, however, that the high bay metal halide lighting fixtures in the warehouse sent the power bill soaring higher than the two-story ceilings. Add in old-fashioned T-12 fluorescent lights that were quietly guzzling energy, and Henry had a perfect lighting retrofit opportunity.

The Solution

The Small Business Energy Alliance (SBEA) replaced power hungry high bay lights with linear fluorescent lamps and aluminum reflectors. That change immediately cut energy consumption in half, from 456 Watts to 228 Watts. The SBEA also replaced aging T-12 fluorescent lamps with energy-efficient T-8 lamps, and traded old magnetic ballasts for modern electronic ones.

More Light, Less Energy

“We have more light than before, the light is natural looking and we cut our energy usage by almost 25%,” said Henry.

The Savings

“I thought, ‘I have fluorescents, I’m doing OK,’” admitted Henry, “but I didn’t realize how much I could save by updating the system.” Thanks to energy savings, Henry, whose solar electrical system is tied to the PG&E power grid, is now producing 100% of his own electricity. Prior to the retrofit, Henry produced about 77% of his power and purchased the rest from PG&E.

The Bottom Line

Since state-sponsored funding from the SBEA paid for half of the costs, Henry’s share of the lighting retrofit was about $3,000. With monthly savings of approximately $330, his payback period will prove to be less than a year. “With solar electric systems, the payback ranges from five to 15 years,” explained Henry. “A payback of less than one year is a no brainer.”

“The Energy Savers Program is just one more way that businesses can help lighten the load on the entire planet,” said Henry.