Shedding light on energy savings

Last fall, Eco Hatchery LLC unveiled the Light Bulb Finder smartphone app, which enables consumers to walk through their homes and match the light bulbs they have now to energy-saving bulbs as replacements.

Since then, more than 100,000 people have downloaded and used the Milwaukee firm's app.

Total savings on electricity costs: at least $500,000 a year.

The Light Bulb Finder is generating attention as well as savings. It has been recognized by utilities that run energy-efficiency programs as well as those who like it for its environmental attributes.

It recently won top honors in the "App for the Environment Challenge" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and it's one of four finalists in a "Power Your Future" competition sponsored by AT&T Inc.

The Light Bulb Finder is tailored to the local user by finding the local utility's electric rate to compute the savings over time for using a light bulb for a given amount of time.

Experts recommend that people who want to reduce their energy costs through bulb replacement should focus first on bulbs that are on the most, such as the kitchen. Replacing the most-used bulbs in a house can save $120 a year on electricity costs.

Based on the Light Bulb Finder, the typical savings so far is about $75, said Adam Borut, co-founder of Eco Hatchery.

That's an average, with some people replacing dozens of bulbs and saving more while others were just trying out the app and buying a few bulbs, he said.

Based on sales of bulbs through the program, Borut said, "We see most people replacing bulbs in their kitchen, dining rooms, in their family rooms and in their bedrooms." Porch lights are also a big opportunity for savings, he said.

Eco Hatchery generates revenue in two ways, from the sale of bulbs bought directly through the app, and from subscription fees from utility energy-efficiency programs.

The Light Bulb Finder has teamed up with five utilities in Massachusetts, which are offering discounts to Bay State residents if they use the app to buy bulbs.

"Our customers tell us it is difficult to compare incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents, so selecting a bulb with the light quality and fit they are looking for can be troublesome," said Tony Fornuto, a Mass Save program administrator. The Light Bulb Finder "makes the selection-and-purchase process much easier. Helping consumers switch to efficient light bulbs is another way we can help them save money on their electric bills."

In Wisconsin, it has partnered with energy efficiency programs in Milwaukee and Madison.

Milwaukee residents who download the app will see a banner that will link them to more information about the city's energy-efficiency program, ME2, and its solar-power funding option, Milwaukee Shines.

"The main goal of the app is to help people reduce energy use to be more energy efficient," said Matt Howard of the city's Office of Environmental Sustainability. "To save money on energy-efficient lighting in their homes clearly aligns with what we're trying to do with the ME2 program," Howard said.

"He's a hometown guy, and a hometown company, so we're happy to support that, too."