Starbucks Installing Super-Efficient LED Lighting in 8,000 Stores

The coffee chain expects to save money. Also see LED holiday lights.

November 16, 2009 at 10:09AM by Brian Clark Howard | comment

Coffee giant Starbucks will replace conventional lights with super-efficient light emitting diode (LED) bulbs in 8,000 stores by March of next year, according to Greentech Media. The LEDs are expected to slash energy consumption in the stores by 7%. Overall Starbucks has a goal of reducing energy use by 25% by the end of next year, and will be trying out other green building elements in select stores.

The LED bulbs should consume about one-tenth the power of an incandescent and half the power of fluorescents. They should last 50,000 hours, giving them a lifespan of 19 to 20 years. That's a big benefit for a business, which often has to contract out lighting changes. Plus, LEDs are cool to the touch, so that decreases cooling loads. In the case of Starbucks, the bulbs are coming from GE, which tweaked them a bit to optimize for the coffee chain's mood.

LEDs continue to fall in price, with 60-watt replacements now running around $40 -- roughly half as much as just two or three years ago. Boosters of LEDs, such as Remy C., argue that the technology can dramatically reduce our energy consumption.

In addition to lighting Starbucks has been moving in a greener direction for some time. What do you think, do you shop there?

Thanks to Remy C. for the tip.

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