With an LED lighting upgrade, business is brighter at Hanscam’s Bowling Center. When owner Barry Hanscam discovered parts of his lighting system needed to be replaced, he learned they were so old they were no longer being manufactured. Then he learned that his older light bulbs were also on the way out.

Hanscam chose LED bulbs because they last up to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs, reducing replacement and maintenance costs. And because they use up to 75 percent less energy, his energy costs would shrink. To reduce energy use even further, he upgraded the exterior lighting from high pressure sodium lights to CFLs. Energy Trust incentives of $9,284 made the lighting improvements affordable right away. The upgrades are expected to save 50,900 kilowatt hours of electricity per year and nearly $4,000 in annual utility costs. Because the bulbs last so much longer, replacement bulb and maintenance costs will shrink, too.

“The economy has been tough on small businesses so anything we can save money on is a good deal,” Hanscam said. “By planning now for the future, this is one less thing that we have to worry about.”