Puget Sound Energy (PSE) recently awarded the Renton School District an energy efficiency rebate of $80,693 for cutting its energy use to save taxpayers and reduce its carbon footprint.

During the first half of this school year, the district upgraded lights to LED technology in parking lots at 16 different schools and district facilities, which created a significant change. Now the district is expected to save more than 415,000 kilowatt-hours of power every year. That’s equivalent to the electric usage of an elementary school or around 35 homes during a year’s time.

The district’s electric bill is expected to be cut around $28,000 per year and Renton schools are expected to have significant maintenance savings.