Energy Efficient Lighting

Walk into any supermarket, and sitting right next to the regular light bulbs you'll see the CLF light bulbs. You know, those funny-looking spiral-shaped fluorescent light bulbs that claim to be more energy efficient, more environmentally friendly… and significantly more expensive. Understandably, you're hesitant to buy such an expensive light bulb, and have a lot of questions. Are they really that energy efficient? Will they save me any significant money on my power bill? Is it worth paying the higher price? This article will seek to answer your questions, to make you a better-informed consumer and decide for yourself if those CFL bulbs are really worth the cost.

Are CFL Bulbs Really More Energy Efficient?

Yes. CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) bulbs use between 66 to 80 percent LESS electricity than regular (incandescent) light bulbs.

Regular incandescent light bulbs work by running an electrical current through a thin filament, heating it to a very high temperature until it glows and gives off light. Only 2% of the electricity, however, is converted into light. The other 98% of the electricity is converted into heat (as anyone who has handled a hot light bulb knows well).

CFL light bulbs create light by passing an electrical current through mercury vapor, which produces ultraviolet light. This ultraviolet light is then absorbed by a phosphorescent coating inside the glass tubes, causing them to glow (this is why CFL light bulbs have white instead of clear glass). While with regular light bulbs, only 2% of the electricity is converted into light, CFL bulbs convert between 17 - 21% of the electricity into light. What this means is that CFL light bulbs use a lot less electricity to create the same amount of light as regular light bulbs do. An additional benefit to this efficiency, is a cooler working environment for your home office. By upgrading the bulbs in your desk lamps, you can achieve a well lit, but much cooler, environment.

Since a CFL bulb use less electricity, over the course of its life it saves 2000 times its own weight in greenhouse gasses. THAT'S why is good for the environment.

But Will That Energy Efficiency Actually Save Me Money?

Yes. Since CFL bulbs use less electricity and last a LOT longer than regular light bulbs, over the course of its lifetime a single CFL bulb will save between $36 and $59 in energy bills compared to regular light bulbs.

Lighting with regular bulbs accounts for about 9% of all household electricity usage. As CFL bulbs use an average of 73% less energy than regular bulbs, switching to CFL bulbs could shave as much as 7% off your monthly power bill.

But Aren't CFL Bulbs More Expensive?

Yes. Depending on the size and wattage, a CFL bulb can cost between three and ten times as much as a regular light bulb. On the other hand, a CFL light bulb lasts eight to ten times LONGER than a regular light bulb (6000-15,000 hours for a CFL bulb compared to 1000 hours for a regular bulb). In other words, buying one CFL bulb is like buying eight regular bulbs. Multiply the cost of a regular light bulb by eight, and you'll see the prices are about the same. Add in the savings on you energy bill, and the CFL bulb is clearly the better buy. Consider it an investment—a high initial cost that pays for itself over time.

According to the December 2007 issue of the 'U.S. News and World Report', "A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12% discount to estimate the savings."

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