Beyond Swirly Bulbs

Federal regulations that will phase out inefficient bulbs spur new lighting options

By Megan McKoy-Noe

LED bulbs, such as the Energy Smart model from General Electric, use 75-percent to 80-percent less energy than incandescent bulbs.

Children love chasing fireflies and catching them in jars. The real magic begins as the intermittent glow captivates the captors. That same sense of wonder is found in labs as scientists refine the process of making light-emitting diodes—highly-efficient light bulbs comparable to the glow of fireflies.

Manufacturers are searching for economical ways to contain a colony of LEDs in a single lighting shell. Just as children attempt to gather enough fireflies to make a lamp, an LED "jar" would create enough light output (lumens) to match that of traditional incandescent bulbs.

The research is part of a national effort aimed at redefining household lighting. Starting in January 2012, 100-watt incandescent bulbs—a technology developed in the United States by Thomas Edison in 1878—must become more energy efficient.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates 13.6 percent of our nation’s energy supply is used to keep the lights on. A lot of that power is wasted. If you have ever touched a traditional light bulb when it is on, you realize much of the energy—90 percent—is released as heat. That leaves a lot of room for improvement.

In 2007, Congress passed phase-in legislation that requires household light bulbs using 40 to 100 watts to consume at least 28 percent less energy by 2014 than traditional incandescents, saving Americans an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion in lighting costs a year. The law also requires light bulbs to become 70 percent more efficient than traditional bulbs by 2020.LEDs already exceed this goal.

"With shifting lighting options and consumers looking for every opportunity to save, navigating lighting solutions has never been so important," says David Schuellerman, GE Lighting’s public relations manager.

The act does not actually ban incandescent bulb technology.

"It’s equivalent to standards passed in the 1980s to make refrigerators more energy efficient," says Brian Sloboda of the Cooperative Research Network, a division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. "Refrigerators use less than one-third of the electricity today than they did in the mid-1970s, but consumers can’t tell a difference in how their food is cooled. The premise is, why not do the same for light bulbs?"

The improved efficiency requirements apply only to screw-based light bulbs. Specialty bulbs for appliances, heavy-duty bulbs, colored lights and three-way bulbs are exempt.

Look for New Labels

Consumers must switch from thinking about light bulbs in terms of watts (energy used) to lumens (light produced).

"Lumens, not watts, tell you how bright a light bulb is, no matter the type of bulb," says Amy Hebert of the Federal Trade Commission. "The more lumens, the brighter the light."

The FTC has designed a "Lighting Facts" label and shopping guide that compares bulbs with traditional incandescent bulbs based on wattages and equivalent lumens. Beginning in 2012, labels on light bulb packages will emphasize a bulb’s brightness in lumens, annual energy cost and expected lifespan.

Residential bulbs will largely fit into three categories:

• Halogen incandescents, which use 25-percent less energy and last three times longer than regular incandescent bulbs.
• Compact fluorescent lamps, which use 75-percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer.
• LEDs, which use 75-percent to 80-percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer.

"CFL, halogen and LED technologies all offer energy savings, but at different intervals, and all with their own pros and cons," says Schuellerman.

For consumers comfortable with their old incandescent bulbs, halogen incandescents will be an easy first step. Featuring a capsule of halogen gas around the bulb’s filament, they are available in a variety of familiar colors and can be dimmed.

"Halogen offers a big efficiency advantage over standard incandescent bulbs," says John Strainic, global product general manager of GE Lighting. "It consumes fewer watts, while delivering a precise dimming capability and a bright, crisp light."

The most familiar options on the market today—and most economical—are CFLs. The bulbs are available in an array of colors and some can be dimmed. Always check the package to make sure a bulb meets your needs.

According to Schuellerman, CFLs generally are best used where lighting is left on for extended periods and full brightness is not immediately necessary. As with all fluorescent bulbs, CFLs contain a small amount of mercury—five times less than a watch battery—but should be recycled. Many retailers offer free CFL recycling. For details, visit http://www.epa.gov/cfl.

Although still developing, LED lights, recessed fixtures and some lower wattage replacement bulbs are on store shelves.

"LEDs are the up-and-coming solution," says Schuellerman. "As they come down in price, homeowners will embrace them. Currently, most residential LEDs are used for outdoor lighting, where fixtures are left on for extended periods and changing bulbs is not easily done. LEDs are also great for linear applications like undercabinet lighting."

LEDs are more expensive than other options: a replacement for a 60-watt incandescent bulb costs $30 to $60. Costs will fall as manufacturers respond to growing consumer demand.

But LEDs are not without their problems. They have to stay cool to operate efficiently, and when several bulbs are placed together for a brighter, more consumer-friendly light, lifespan decreases. Many manufacturers are accounting for this by adding cooling elements. Some bulbs feature a spine design to allow air to flow around the base; others have fans built into the ballast.

Can You See a Difference?

Some consumers believe more efficient bulbs will not provide the same warm look and feel as classic bulbs. Schuellerman disagrees.

"Lighting technologies are advancing at such a rate that consumers won’t notice a marked difference in the color of light from different technologies or how that light is dispersed," he says. "You also won’t necessarily see a difference in bulb shape. Some consumers don’t like the look of twist-shaped CFLs, for example, so we offer covered CFLs that look just like incandescent bulbs. We also have an LED bulb that is a replacement for a 40-watt incandescent, as well as halogen bulbs, that both are housed in incandescent-shaped shells."

The difference will be found on your monthly electric bill. More efficient bulbs use 25 percent to 80 percent less energy than traditional incandescents, and last much longer.

The U.S. Department of Energy says each household can save $50 a year by replacing 15 traditional incandescent bulbs.

"With these new technologies, homeowners will be spending less on electricity bills for lighting and changing fewer bulbs," says Schuellerman.

To learn more about lighting options, visit http://www.energysavers.gov/lighting. For details on the change and shopping tips, visit http://www.ftc.gov/lightbulbs.Megan McKoy-Noe writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Posted December 1st