One of the most common questions the Access Fixtures lighting specialists receive is phrased in a number of ways.
- How much will the luminaire cost to operate?
- How much money will I save with by switching from x to y?
- How long will it take for this project take to pay for itself?
The answer comes in a the form of a different question.
What’s a watt worth?
The answer is, a watt is worth a lot. Let’s get specific. For instance, if you pay $0.15/per kilowatt hour (kWh) and operate a luminaire for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, each watt costs $0.66. The cost of a watt is derived via the chart below.
If the luminaire you are operating is a 400 watt metal halide wall pack that uses a total of 458 watts including the ballast, the cost of operating that fixture is 458 x $0.66 for a total of $302.28 per year. That is just for one 400w wall pack.
How do you know what’s a watt worth?
The cost per kWh is on the left. Hours and days of operations are listed across the top. The the rows that intersect the columns are what a watt is worth. If you have questions, be sure to speak with an Access Fixtures lighting specialist.