Due to increased utility costs, as well as advances in lighting technology and federal, state and utility rebate programs, lighting manufacturers and other major players in the industry increasingly view energy service companies (ESCOs) as essential partners to install efficient products in the marketplace and reduce strain on the power grid. Members of the Sylvania Energy Solutions Network (ESN), Danvers, Mass., recently reported that as a result of energy-efficiency equipment installed over the past 12 months, the ESCOs collectively eliminated an estimated 276,875,000kWh annually through the energy-efficiency upgrade projects. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculations, this is the equivalent of 3,515,668,605 barrels of oil consumed, saving 10,544,308 acres of trees from deforestation and enough to provide energy to power 137,555,732 homes for one year. Data was collected from 17 member companies in August.
Osram Sylvania, one of the world’s largest lighting manufacturers, launched the network as an alliance among the global lighting brand, ESCOs, and electrical distributors nationwide. Through the program, ESCOs can redeem QUICKPoints for various marketing communications projects and training services. ESN offers ESCOs preferred benefits including a dedicated management team, field sales, application engineering, and training options, as well as marketing programs to support ESCO and distributor development of energy-efficient lighting upgrades. Seventy-three ESCOs have signed on for the program since its inception last fall.
