GE’s hybrid halogen lightbulbs combine CFL and halogen technology, creating a product that lasts eight times as long as traditional incandescent lightbulbs. The 60-watt replacement uses only 15 watts, while the 75-watt replacement uses 20 watts.
Brian Sloboda, CRN senior program manager. “The price of LEDs for home use has substantially dropped, so we may begin to see more LEDs as it becomes more economically feasible to buy them.”
Lighting Lessons 2014 brings brighter efficiency standards and savings.
BY AMBER BENTLEY TOUCHSTONE ENERGY COOPERATIVES
As federal efficiency standards phase out traditional incandescent lightbulbs, electric co-ops are testing which lighting technologies work best for consumers. Co-ops like Choctaw Electric (CEC) and others have long championed compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), the first cost-effective, energy-saving alternative to traditional bulbs.
“We see them as a quick, low-cost way our members can start saving on their electric bills,” explains John Drake, CEC energy use specialist.
By 2014, household lightbulbs using between 40-W to 100-W will need to consume at least 28 percent less energy than traditional incandescents. Because incandescents use 90 percent of their energy producing heat, upgrading saves Americans an estimated $6 billion to $10 billion in lighting costs every year.
More lighting changes will roll out in coming years. The federal Energy Independence and Security Act requires that lightbulbs become 70 percent more efficient than classic bulbs by 2020 (LEDs already exceed this goal.)
Lighting accounts for roughly 13 percent of an average household’s electric bill. Hardware store shelves are filled with lightbulb options. What works best for co-op members?
The new Lighting Facts Label, is similar to nutrition labels on food packaging. It shows a bulb’s brightness, appearance, life span, and estimated yearly cost.
Electric co-ops teamed up on lightbulb testing with the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), the research and development arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
“We found most residential members still prefer CFLs over more expensive, but more energy efficient, LEDs,” remarks
8 | december 2013
A helpful addition to lighting products is the Lighting Facts Label. Similar to nutrition labels found on food packages, it shows a bulb’s brightness, appearance, life span, and estimated yearly cost. The Lighting Facts Label was created by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to help consumers buy the most efficient lightbulb.
Energy-efficient lighting options include:
Halogen incandescents: Use 25 percent less energy, last three times longer than regular incandescent bulbs
CFLs: Use 75 percent less energy, last up to 10 times longer
LEDs: Use between 75 percent and 80 percent less energy, last up to 25 times longer
Federal lightbulb standards could save consumers billions of dollars each year. For an average American house with about 40 light fixtures, changing just 15 bulbs can save about $50 a year per household, according to DOE.
A word of warning when purchasing new types of bulbs: You generally get what you pay for.
“Some manufacturers exaggerate claims of energy savings and lifespans, and cheaper models probably won’t last as long as higher-quality bulbs,” Sloboda cautions. “If you look for the ENERGY STAR label, that means the bulb exceeds minimum efficiency standards as tested by the federal government.”
The best way to benefit from this fast- changing technology is to purchase a more energy efficient lightbulb the next time one goes out, Sloboda concludes.
To learn about lighting options, visit
energysavers.gov/lighting. For shopping tips visit
ftc.gov/lightbulbs. ■
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