Developed 60 years ago by Nick Holonyah while he was working for General Electric, light-emitting diodes or LEDs are the most energy efficient lighting option today. According to Energy Star, LEDs are up to 90% more efficient than an incandescent bulb. As a result of their efficiency they can also reduce one’s energy bills by up to 75% and last up to 25 times longer than older incandescent bulbs (Department of Energy). LEDs increase in longevity and reduction in energy demands, saves both time in replacing burned out bulbs and your wallet.

How are LEDs different from a typical filament bulb like an incandescent or compact fluorescent lamp (CFL)?

LEDs work when an electrical current transfers through a microchip to a light emitting diode that then produces photons or light. LEDs can be adapted to many different sizes and shapes but are typically very small in size. To transfer effectively the lighting market, LEDs were adapted specifically to fit the standard light bulb form but their adaptability has allowed the lighting industry to develop new opportunities and innovative lighting forms that were not previously possible with incandescent bulbs.

Another major difference between LED bulbs and incandescent or CFL bulbs is directional light. LED bulbs are engineered to displace its light in all directions. LEDs produce amber, red, green and blue light versus the white hues of traditional bulbs. To produce white light, LED bulbs can use a multitude of different colors or the bulb is covered in a special material to create a whiter light.

Unlike a traditional incandescent or CFL light bulb that burns out, LEDs reduce in brightness over time as the bulb’s production of light itself decreases over time. An LED’s lifetime is determined by the average time it takes for a bulb to decrease by 30% of its original brightness.

Why do they use less energy than an incandescent or CFL bulb?

Incandescent bulbs use roughly 60 watts of power to create 800 lumens of light. A LED bulb can use approximately 90% less power or 7 watts of power to create the same 800 lumens. The reason for this is that incandescent bulbs create light by heating metal with electricity in a vacuum sealed bulb until it is so hot that it glows. If you’re thinking, why don’t incandescent bulbs catch on fire, you’re on the right track. Incandescent bulbs get very hot with 90% or more of their energy going to heat versus directly to light.

Because LED bulbs use very different technology to create photons, there is less heat created in the process. This also reduces their energy demand as well as risk of catching fire. Or in the case of specific environments in which you are already trying to keep an environment cool such as a refrigerator light in the frozen pizza section at your local grocery store. Next time you’re at the grocery store, check to see if the light bulb in the cooler is emitting heat (of course, don’t touch it directly as it could be hot). If it is, the refrigerator is working overtime and you’re spending extra money to cool the heat producing bulb in your cooler while also keeping your pizza frozen.

Free LEDs in Nederland

The Town of Nederland recently received 300 LED bulb energy kits from Xcel through a collaboration with Partners In Energy, Xcel’s community energy outreach program. These free to Nederland residents kits include 13 various sized LED bulbs as well as a handy reusable black tote bag and two sleek night lights. These kits were requested by Nederland’s Sustainability Advisory Board and can be found at Nederland Town Hall and various town based events such as the Farmer’s Markets.

If you have questions or would like to request these kits at an upcoming event, please reach out to the Sustainability Advisory Board at SAB@nederlandco.org.