LED light bulbs will eventually be what we use to replace incandescent bulbs – CFLs are a temporary solution to energy-efficient lighting. The reason LEDs have not yet displaced CFLs from the market are twofold: the first generation LED bulbs had a narrow and focused light beam, and the cost of the LED bulbs was too high.
Recent developments in LED technology, however, have been addressing these issues. LEDs have been ‘clustered’ to provide more light, and mounted within diffuser lenses which spread the light across a wider area. And advancements in manufacturing technology have driven the prices down to a level where LED bulbs are more cost-effective than CFLs or incandescent bulbs. This trend is continuing, with LED bulbs being designed for more applications while the prices are going down over time.
The ‘sticker shock’ of the new LEDs remains a deterrent to their widespread acceptance by consumers. The following comparison charts illustrate the value of the latest LED bulbs when compared with CFLs and incandescents for overall efficiency as well as cost-effectiveness.
Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs
|
LED |
CFL |
Incandescent |
Light bulb projected lifespan |
50,000 hours |
10,000 hours |
1,200 hours |
Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts) |
6 |
14 |
60 |
Cost per bulb |
$35.95 |
$3.95 |
$1.25 |
KWh of electricity used over |
300 |
700 |
3000 |
Cost of electricity (@ 0.20per KWh) |
$60 |
$140 |
$600 |
Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use |
1 |
5 |
42 |
Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense |
$35.95 |
$19.75 |
$52.50 |
Total cost for 50k hours |
$95.95 |
$159.75 |
$652.50 |
Energy Savings over 50,000 hours, assuming 25 bulbs per household:
LED light bulbs will eventually be what we use to replace incandescent bulbs – CFLs are a temporary solution to energy-efficient lighting. The reason LEDs have not yet displaced CFLs from the market are twofold: the first generation LED bulbs had a narrow and focused light beam, and the cost of the LED bulbs was too high. Recent developments in LED technology, however, have been addressing these issues. LEDs have been ‘clustered’ to provide more light, and mounted within diffuser lenses which spread the light across a wider area. And advancements in manufacturing technology have driven the prices down to a level where LED bulbs are more cost-effective than CFLs or incandescent bulbs. This trend is continuing, with LED bulbs being designed for more applications while the prices are going down over time. The ‘sticker shock’ of the new LEDs remains a deterrent to their widespread acceptance by consumers. The following comparison charts illustrate the value of the latest LED bulbs when compared with CFLs and incandescents for overall efficiency as well as cost-effectiveness. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Energy Savings over 50,000 hours, assuming 25 bulbs per household:
|
LED light bulbs will eventually be what we use to replace incandescent bulbs – CFLs are a temporary solution to energy-efficient lighting. The reason LEDs have not yet displaced CFLs from the market are twofold: the first generation LED bulbs had a narrow and focused light beam, and the cost of the LED bulbs was too high.
Recent developments in LED technology, however, have been addressing these issues. LEDs have been ‘clustered’ to provide more light, and mounted within diffuser lenses which spread the light across a wider area. And advancements in manufacturing technology have driven the prices down to a level where LED bulbs are more cost-effective than CFLs or incandescent bulbs. This trend is continuing, with LED bulbs being designed for more applications while the prices are going down over time.
The ‘sticker shock’ of the new LEDs remains a deterrent to their widespread acceptance by consumers. The following comparison charts illustrate the value of the latest LED bulbs when compared with CFLs and incandescents for overall efficiency as well as cost-effectiveness.
Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs
|
LED |
CFL |
Incandescent |
Light bulb projected lifespan |
50,000 hours |
10,000 hours |
1,200 hours |
Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts) |
6 |
14 |
60 |
Cost per bulb |
$35.95 |
$3.95 |
$1.25 |
KWh of electricity used over |
300 |
700 |
3000 |
Cost of electricity (@ 0.20per KWh) |
$60 |
$140 |
$600 |
Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use |
1 |
5 |
42 |
Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense |
$35.95 |
$19.75 |
$52.50 |
Total cost for 50k hours |
$95.95 |
$159.75 |
$652.50 |
Energy Savings over 50,000 hours, assuming 25 bulbs per household:
Related Articles
- Republicans demand bulb law repeal (chron.com)
- The changing lighting landscape (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- South Carolina Lawmakers Take Dim View Of New Light Bulbs (huffingtonpost.com)
- Cree shows off ‘no-compromise’ LED replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs (engadget.com)
You must be logged in to post a comment.