The war is on between incandescent light bulbs and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The aim right now is to switch to bulbs that save energy in an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and help reduce global warming. The world’s three largest light bulb manufacturing companies – General Electric Company, Siemens AG, and Royal Philips Electronics NV, also
known as the European Lamp Companies Federation – are pushing Europeans to purchase the more energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs as opposed to incandescent ones. It has been estimated in Europe that if all the incandescent bulbs sold in Europe were replaced by the efficient compact fluorescents, the continent of Europe could get rid of 27 of their power plants!
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are three times as efficient as incandescent bulbs and they last a lot longer, but people are hesitant to purchase them because they cost more per bulb, even though in reality they save money in the long run (because they last so long). In Australia and California, bans on incandescent light bulbs have even been proposed. The General Electric Company is against a ban – it opts for a gradual change over time. Most of the U.S.’s fluorescent light bulbs are produced in China, so if bans on incandescent bulbs were put into place, then the U.S. would be almost totally dependent on foreign manufacturers for its lighting.
The ELC Federation Statement says, “The group is now actively working on scenarios for the various governments so as to recommend realistic targets and timelines for an effective, successful shift.”
So what’s the difference between incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs?
Picture Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Gluehbirne_2_db.jpg/180px-Gluehbirne_2_db.jpg
Incandescent light bulbs work in the following way: an electric current passes through a very thin filament and causes it to become excited, and in the process it releases photons. A benefit of using this type of bulb is that it can be made for a wide range of voltages. But this bulb has a poor luminous efficacy. This means that the ratio of the light that is “usable” for human vision to the total light emitted is low. Incandescent light bulbs are about 5% efficient because about 95% of the power used by them is released as heat, rather than light.
Picture Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/40/Compact_flourescent_globe.JPG/463px-Compact_flourescent_globe.JPG
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are fluorescent lamps that fit into standard bulb sockets or plug into lighting fixtures. They last longer than and use less electricity than incandescent bulbs. Also, they use about 1/4 of the energy that incandescents use. This is a big component of the environmental issue involving these 2 types of light bulbs: a gradual mass switch over to fluorescent light bulbs will mean a huge conservation of energy.
Clearly, fluorescent light bulbs are the way to go. Will you make the switch?
Sources:
http://enn.com/today.html?id=12318
