Efficiency First

The Light Stuff Efficiency advances could create a brighter future for incandescent bulb technology July 8 –The national push to replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescents has been met with resistance on the part of many American consumers, who don’t like the quality of light produced by CFLs, or who want bulbs that will work with existing dimmer switches. According to an article published in last Sunday’s New York Times, some lighting manufacturers are addressing those concerns not by improving on current CFL technology, but by finding ways to make incandescent bulbs more efficient: When Congress passed a new energy law two years ago, obituaries were written for the incandescent light bulb. The law set tough efficiency standards, due to take effect in 2012, that no traditional incandescent bulb on the market could meet, and a century-old technology that helped create the modern world seemed to be doomed. But as it turns out, the obituaries were premature. Researchers across the country have been racing to breathe new life into Thomas Edison’s light bulb, a pursuit that accelerated with the new legislation. Amid that footrace, one company is already marketing limited quantities of incandescent bulbs that meet the 2012 standard, and researchers are promising a wave of innovative products in the next few years. Indeed, the incandescent bulb is turning into a case study of the way government mandates can spur innovation. According to the article, Philips Lighting is already selling bulbs under the Halogena Energy Savers brand that are 30 percent more efficient than older incandescents. That still doesn’t equal the efficiency of CFLs, but the Times reports that researchers are working on further improvements that could boost the efficiency of incandescent bulbs by as much as 100 percent.

Read the full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/business/energy-environment/06bulbs.html?_r=2&ref=business http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/06/business/energy-environment/06bulbs.html?_r=2&ref=business