Case Study: Manufacturing Facility LED Retrofit

Cut energy, reduce cooling Load, improve light quality and safety, and unlock rebates.


Facility Overview

  • Type: Large automotive component manufacturing plant
  • Size: 100,000 sq. ft.
  • Existing: 400W Metal Halide (HID) High Bays (250 fixtures)
  • Operating Hours: 18 hrs/day, 6 days/week (~5,616 hrs/year)

Energy Savings

Baseline (HID): ~640,000 kWh/year

LED Retrofit: ~230,000 kWh/year

~410,000 kWh/year saved
≈ $49,000/year (@ $0.12/kWh)

HVAC Savings

LED high-bays reduce heat output by ~60%, lowering cooling load.

~$3,000/year
Estimated additional HVAC savings

Maintenance (Legacy HID)

  • ~15,000 hr life (re-lamp ~2.5 years)
  • ~$7,000/year maintenance
  • Warranty: 2–3 years

Maintenance (LED High-Bay)

  • ~100,000 hr life (~18+ years)
  • ~$500/year maintenance
  • Warranty: 5–10 years

Other Benefits of LED

Improved visibility (higher CRI)
Instant on/off (no warm-up)
Reduced electrical load
Lower insurance risk (less heat/glass)

Utility Rebates

DTE Energy & Consumers Energy offer rebates for all business sizes.

Typical high-bay rebates: $50–$100 per fixture, often covering 20–40% of project costs.

ROI Example

  • Project Cost (after rebates): ~$100,000
  • Total Annual Savings: ~$58,500 (energy + HVAC + maintenance)
  • Simple Payback: ~1.7 years
  • ROI over 10 years: ~485%

Summary

  • Energy Use: ~640,000 → ~230,000 kWh/yr (64% less)
  • Annual Cost: ~$77,000 → ~$28,000 (save ~$49,000)
  • Maintenance: ~$7,000 → ~$500/yr
  • HVAC Load: High → Low
  • Fixture Life: ~3 yrs → ~18+ yrs
  • Warranty: 2–3 yrs → 5–10 yrs

We would Love to Make Your Facility Our Next Case Study!

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