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time2012/11/22
The Compact Fluorescent (CFL) bulb is a popular lighting choice among the different lighting technologies in existence today. CFLs were the first real challenger to regular incandescent bulbs starting in 1995, primarily as a result of their energy efficiency/cost savings, superior lifetime, and environmental friendliness. But does that mean we should remain complacent—just because they outperform a 100-year old technology?
While CFLs might be a good choice, are they really the best choice?
The newest lighting technology on the market today is the Light Emitting Diode (LED). How do LED lamps stack up to CFLs? Let’s take a look!
1. LEDs use less power (watts) per unit of light generated (lumens)
Using a standard 75-watt incandescent bulb as a basis of comparison:
Lamp | Watts | Lumens | Efficacy |
LED | 12.5 | 1000 | 80 lumens/watt |
CFL | 20 | 1150 | 57.5 lumens/watt |
Benefits:
2. LEDs have a longer lifetime
Lamp | Lifetime (hours) | Replacement frequency(40,000 hours) |
LED | 40,000 | 1 |
CFL | 10,000 | 4 |
Benefits:
3. LEDs have less impact on the environment and human health
Impact | LED | CFL |
Contains Mercury (toxic to both environment and health)? | No | Yes (~5mg) |
RoHS-compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances – directive in controlling the use of six* hazardous materials)? | Yes | No |
Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO2 is the main greenhouse gas)? | 4.4 kg/yr (1300 lm @ 2 hrs/day)** Note: Lower energy consumption decreases CO2 emissions | 7.3 kg/yr (1300 lm @ 2 hrs/day)** |
Infrared or ultraviolet radiation emissions? | Extremely low IR | Yes |
Benefits:
4. LEDs are more robust
Impact | LED | CFL |
Turns on instantly? | Yes | Delay |
Light flicker? | No | Yes |
Heat emitted? | Very low (3btu’s/hr) | Medium (30btu’s/hr) |
Temperature sensitivity? | Slight -LEDs are sensitive to installation where there is no way to vent the excess heat, but much less sensitive than CFLs. | Yes -low/no light emitted in freezing temperatures -lifespan significantly shortened depending on how bulb is installed (ie. Upside down or within enclosure traps heat). |
Durable? | Yes | Fragile |
On/Off cycling effects? | No | Yes (shortens lifespan) |
Benefits:
Note: The relationship between CFL light flicker and migraines/epilepsy has been contended, even though cases have been reported (see http://bit.ly/PTUA23 for more information).
5. LEDs offer greater cost savings
The math is pretty simple:
Less energy used → greater electricity savings
Using a standard 75-watt incandescent bulb as a basis of comparison:
Lamp | Watts | KWh/yr (@24 hours/day) | Cost/year (@0.119/kWh) |
LED | 12.5 | 109.58 | $13.04 |
CFL | 20 | 175.32 | $20.86 |
While some argue the higher initial cost of LED bulbs isn’t worth the cost savings in reduced energy use, time and again studies have illustrated the return on investment is recovered quickly (from a few months to a couple of years, depending on usage).
Note: While dimmable LEDs do cost slightly more than non-dimmable LEDs of similar wattage, you can scale back the light to ~10% of its full output, thereby reducing the amount of energy required.
There’s also a hidden savings: that which is achieved through cost avoidance. A longer lamp lifespan means you don’t need to spend valuable time performing maintenance tasks (for example, buying new bulbs or replacing dead bulbs).
Benefits:
To obtain a fuller picture of the savings you personally can achieve with LED lamps, see Leapfrog Lighting’s Savings Calculator.
So, when you need to replace your old incandescent lamps, are you going to replace them with CFLs or LEDs?
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