BELFAST — 350 Waldo County, Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition, and Belfast Transition have joined together to promote and increase energy efficiency in Waldo County.

"We are working with Efficiency Maine," said David Smith of Belfast, in a news release. "Efficiency Maine has a lot of programs to help communities use less energy. There are programs for businesses and municipalities as well as ones for consumers. Our group is trying to work in all three areas, starting with consumers."

Working with the principle that more people will use the more efficient light bulbs if the savings happen at the cash register and not through a mail-in rebate, Efficiency Maine works with manufacturers and lighting retailers to reduce the prices of energy-efficient lighting products in stores statewide.

In most stores, prices are simply marked down. In others, in-store coupons are available for use at the register. Efficiency Maine rebates last until June 30, 2015.

The result can mean a 6-watt LED bulb equivalent to a 40-watt incandescent bulb costs as little as $1 and a 14-watt compact fluorescent (CFL) bulb equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb costs as low as 22 cents.

Pricing varies with the brand of the bulb and the retailer offering the rebate, so shoppers considering buying several bulbs should call ahead and do some price checking.

Bob Shaw of 350 Waldo County said in the news release: "The savings of switching to LEDS is even greater when you look at it over the life of the bulb. In a month and 10 days the LED bulb has paid for itself in the reduction of energy used to power it.

“The savings over the life of a $2.50 8-watt LED bulb is $154, for an annul savings of about $13.50." This savings was calculated using www.ledwaves.com/led-calc.html and is based on comparing the LED bulb to a $1 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Using this data the break-even point is one month ten days and the savings over the life of the LED bulb is $154 for a yearly average of approximately $13.50. That is the savings for one 60 watt incandescent bulb replaced by an 8 watt LED bulb.

Belfast retailers participating in the lighting program include: EBS Building Supplies, Belfast Variety, Walgreens, Home Supply Center, Family Dollar (both locations), Hannaford Brothers, Ocean State Job Lot, Aubuchon Hardware, The Green Store, Renys, True Value Hardware, and Viking Lumber.

Other Waldo County retailers include Gibbs Family Hardware (Brooks), Buxton Service, Inc. (Monroe), and Family Dollar (Unity) and Unity Shop n' Save (formerly Edwards).

More retailers are being added all the time and people can request that a favorite retailer consider signing on to the program as well. To look for new additions to the list of merchants offering the rebate program, go to www.efficiencymaine.com/at-home/retail-lighting-program/find-a-participating-retailer/.

The search is for retailers in a given radius and does not specify whether a particular participating store is offering CFLs or LEDs or both, so calling the store ahead of time is advised.