Overview

The Efficiency Maine Residential Lighting Program works with consumers, retailers and manufactures to encourage the purchase of energy efficient lighting by residential customers. The program is available and uniform to all residents of Maine regardless of which electric utility provides them with service. This is a Statewide program sponsored by the Maine Public Utilities Commission which is open to all retailers for participation regardless of size or sales volume. There are currently 300 retail sites participating in the program which are selling Compact Florescent lamps and accepting Efficiency Maine coupons.

The program utilizes incentives on qualified light bulbs and fixtures.  Participating retailers are provided coupons, which customers can redeem instantly at the time of purchase.  Efficiency Maine then reimburses the retailer.

Some retailers and supermarket chains have signed agreements to reduce their retail prices by the incentive amounts and report sales data in place of using coupons.
Maine is, at this time, the only New England State which offers a wide scale Compact Florescent Lamp recycling Program. This program is offered by Efficiency Maine in cooperation with the Maine State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Participating retailers are trained by the program field representatives to meet all DEP requirements. Recycling collection buckets are then placed in the retail location where consumers can return CFL’s which are then sent to a recycling facility.  Currently over 75% of the retailers participating in the coupon redemption program are also participating in the CFL recycling program.

Efficiency Maine also offered incentive for LED holiday lights in 2006 and 2007. Retailers reported very positive sales and much greater consumer interest in these products.

Implementation

The field implementation team provides five core essential services to retail stores: merchandising, which consists providing Point of Purchase materials for display in all participating retail locations. Training, of sales staff in the features and benefits of Compact Florescent Lamps as well as new products which have become available. In-store demonstrations are done in cooperation with local retailers to promote sales and educate consumers as well as sales associates.

Summary of Results

In 2006, Efficiency Maine redeemed their 1,000,000th CFL purchased under the  Residential Lighting Program in Maine.