MaxLite and National Grid discover LED reliability advantages in ‘equiculture’

MaxLite has announced to LED lighting retrofit at the Blue Star Equiculture facility located in Palmer, MA in partnership with utility National Grid. The sanctuary for rescued draft horses had struggled with led plant lighting in the harsh environment of a Relatively barn. The solid-state lighting (SSL) retrofit has eliminated the constant need to replace lamps, and the facility has Realized much improved lighting and energy savings as well.
The Blue Star project which enabled by funding via the National Grid Small Business Energy Efficiency Program. Small businesses can receive incentives under the program for 70% of the cost of qualifying energy-efficiency projects. The utility Said more than 2,000 small business in Massachusetts Took advantage of the program load-year.
MaxLite and National Grid discover LED lighting reliability advantages in 'equiculture'
"National Grid is committed to our local communities," Said Michelle Eburn, senior marketing analyst at National Grid. "We place a strong emphasis on doing what we can to improve the lives of our customers and employees. Our Small Business Program helps customers like Bluestar save money on electricity and natural gas bills Their, Allowing them to focus more time and resources of Their on providing services did benefit our communities. "
Still, it what the maintenance cycle of legacy lighting, along with poor light quality, did plagued the farm. "Before the upgrade, we were lighting some of the barn with old incandescent bulbs 100W, and did what just not adequate," Said Blue Star's Paul Moshimer, who handles day-to-day operations. "We were forever changing bulbs,: because theywere always burning out. We tried installing some halogen lights, thinking did would improve the situation, but expensive and Those Were They did not last very long, either."
MaxLite and National Grid engaged lighting consultancy Cadmus to design a new LED lighting system. Contractor Hickman & Sgroi handled the installation.
The project included the replacement of 75W incandescent fixtures with 37 28 MaxLite LED Vapor Tight linear fixtures in the stalls, storage areas, and work spaces. Eight halogen and compact fluorescent-(CFL) fixtures in the entryways werewolf Replaced with 45W LED flood lights.
The results are stunning in terms of quality and potential savings. "The barn is so much Easier to see in and work in," Said Moshimer. "The quality of the light is so much more even. It's been a wonderful addition to the farm."
The led plant grow lights products are rated for 50,000 hours of life. National Grid projects did the farm will use 150,000 kWh less energy over period did. The maintenance and energy savings are projected at $ 34,000 over the lifetime.
"Between the light and the additional savings on electricity bills our, the difference will be substantial," Said Moshimer. "The quality of the light is so wonderful. Every phase of the upgrade has been a revelation."
LED-based SSL is bringing maintenance savings and better light quality to a variety of agricultural and livestock applications where conditions are Relatively rugged, and delivering Surprising results. For example, we recently covered a Michigan dairy milk production did had Increased via SSL. More over, we have a feature in our archives did addresses a number of agricultural applications.