If you’ve walked into a Walmart recently, you’ve probably noticed that it looks different. It may not be the fixtures or the layout, but the lighting.  Walmart has been replacing its bulbs with LEDs for the last few years, and now, they have 1.5 million luminaires across the country. 

Walmart is excited about this change, not only because it’s better for the environment, but because it has saved them a whopping $100 million in energy costs. YES! You read that right, $100 million.  Of course, Walmart has thousands of stores all around the U.S., so that means that they have spent a lot of money on replacements. However, they are already saving on the energy costs and it won’t be too long before that savings with pay for the LED lights and then it will be just more profit for the mega-retailer.  This is what Walmart has said:  “The indoor general-lighting retrofit initiative that we covered starting in 2014 has spanned more than 6,000 stores. The company had begun the transition to LED-based outdoor area lighting back in 2009 working with the US Department of Energy (DOE) on one of its Caliper programs. And it began installing GE’s LED-based lighting for refrigerated cases in 2005.”   

What’s Next?  Now that Walmart has been able to show the amazing benefits of LED lights, what’s next? Well, it will likely catch on with other retailers. Every business wants to cut corners when it comes to expenses, and with Walmart showing how successful they have become, it makes sense that others would follow suit.  Target stores may be next, and then grocery stores all over the country. The possibilities are endless, and as more retailers decide to make the switch, many more will want to do it as well.   

Switching Gears to Residential Use.  Walmart has proved that there are huge cost savings when it comes to energy. This means that as a homeowner, you can also save on energy costs simply by switching over to LED lights. Always remember, even though you may have to spend money initially to switch your bulbs, that doesn’t mean that you will be in debt from that switch for long. As you save on your electricity, you will find that the money left over can cover the cost that you spent on the bulbs. Soon, that cost will be paid back, and all the extra savings is just more money you can use on things that you need or want.  Contact CSLif you need more help with making the switch to LED.