May 12, 2009

Science Scene - Energy Efficient Lighting

Did you know that the average residential light socket is used about 700 hours per year? [if you do the math, that is about 1.9 hours per day, which passes the sanity/gut check]

The Department of Energy (DOE) has instituted the "L Prize", a competition that challenges lighting designers to replace the commonly used 60W light bulb with the PAR 38 halogen lamp with ultra-efficient solid-state lighting products. A future L Prize program will call for development of a new 21st-century lamp that delivers more than 150 lumen's per watt.

So what does it all mean? The L Prize competition focuses on development and market adoption of a solid-state lighting replacement for the 60W lamp that uses only 10W - a savings of 83%. If every socket in the United States converted from 60W incandescent lamps to the 10W L Prize winner, the country would save 34 terawatt-hours of electricity per year; enough to power the lights of 17.4 million households (twice the consumption of Las Vegas). That also equates to 5.6 million tons of carbon emissions).

Do you use energy efficient lighting? If not, why not?

For a listing of current light bulb options and information, click here.


3 comments:

  1. Those are some amazing numbers. It will be interesting to see what inventors can come up with!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, I use the best bulbs(energywise) possible & never leave a light on when not needed. I walk many local places instead of driving. I'm a big believer in each of us owing(& paying) a debt to society & our environment. Though I must say I was more notably consistent with low heating bills until Briege came into my life wanting lots of open windows to gaze out of in winter time. ~Mary

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Ken, it was good to hear from you again... I really have missed everyone. THanks for commenting. Now about your EEL information... I don't understand all the technical language, but I understand that using these new lights would reduce carbon emissions, and that is VERY important for us. I'll check out your link. bea

    ReplyDelete

Tell Me What You Think, Don't Make me go Rogue on you :o)