The Lightbulb

The New NEW Revolution In Energy Saving Light Bulbs

by Dale Y the Green Guy　

Just when you thought that CFLs were the latest and greatest for energy savings, along comes the LED revolution. Small, compact and sipping almost ten times less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, they use only half the electricity of a CFL bulb, while putting out the same amount of usable light.

LED bulbs (which are not technically bulbs but rather “light emitting diodes”) have been around for decades. They have generally been used as indicator lights on electronic devices because they weren’t all that bright, but they also virtually never wore out either. However, recent advances in LED technology have increased their brightness exponentially, and that advance alone has thrust them into the mainstream lighting market.

Through all of the new technology, LED bulbs have maintained incredible staying power when lit. They will literally last upwards of 60,000 hours burning continuously. A CFL bulb might be good for 10,000 hours, and the lowly incandescent bulb might last 1000 hours, if you are lucky.

Think about this. 60,000 hours of continuous burn time equates to about 7 years of continuous operation. In essence, burning an LED bulb for only 4 hours per day, which is the average burn time for any light bulb in a typical household, means it is going to last about 50 years! Yes, you have read that correctly, 50 years of never having to change a light bulb! Right now and no matter what the price is, that makes an LED bulb perfect for those out-of-the-way places where a light bulb needs to be. Like basements, light fixtures that are difficult to get at, and any light fixture where a ladder must be used to change a bulb.

Price wise, an LED bulb will cost about 3 times the price of a CFL bulb. However, just 5 years ago an LED bulb cost nearly ten times the price, so as they have become more and more common, the price has lowered significantly. But even more significantly, they are now being made to replace virtually every type of light bulb made.

LED bulbs come in long tubes to replace overhead fluorescent lights. They come in regular lamp bulb styles to replace incandescent bulbs. They even come in bayonet mounts to replace automotive lighting, from map lights to tail lights and head lights. And if you have been to your local hardware store or department store lately, you will have noticed that flashlights everywhere are now using LED bulbs. Batteries have never lasted so long as when powering an LED light bulb.

LED bulbs are tops when it comes to energy saving light bulbs. Yes, they are still expensive, but they are already coming down in price even as you read this. Yes, they may be a bit difficult to find, but if your local hardware store doesn’t have one for your needs, just punch “LED bulb” into any internet search engine, and dozens of marketing pages will come up.

For energy savings that are second to none, and longevity that is head and shoulders above any other light bulb made, LED light bulbs truly are the new NEW revolution, and cannot be beat.