Government-subsidized green light bulb carries costly price tag

[Locutus]

The U.S. government last year announced a $10 million award, dubbed the “L Prize,” for any manufacturer that could create a “green” but affordable light bulb.


Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the prize would spur industry to offer the costly bulbs, known as LEDs, at prices “affordable for American families.” There was also a “Buy America” component. Portions of the bulb would have to be made in the United States.


Now the winning bulb is on the market.


The price is $50.




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Government-subsidized green light bulb carries costly price tag - The Washington Post

 

[L Gilbert]

Affordable?
Funny. I've been replacing our burned out lights with LEDs. They're a bit more expensive but they are worth it. A 300 Lumen unit of LEDs (equivalent of a 100W incandescent) costs me less than $10 and the mean average lifetime is about 60,000 hours and only uses about 2.5W to emit the same amount of light as the 100W bulb.

 

[Cliffy]

The light bulb was the first experiment in planned obsolescence. I wonder how long it will take for them to reduce the life expectancy of the LED bulbs.

Pyramids of Waste (Full Length - English Subtitles) aka '' The Lightbulb Conspiracy '' - YouTube!

 

[petros]

Think about this for a minute.....

Why would a power company give you light bulbs that use LESS energy when their job is to sell you energy?

 

[taxslave]

Think about this for a minute.....

Why would a power company give you light bulbs that use LESS energy when their job is to sell you energy?

To get government grants?

 

[petros]

Look into CFL bulbs, dirty electricty and induction disk power meters.

 

[Ron in Regina]

Think about this for a minute.....

Why would a power company give you light bulbs that use LESS energy when their job is to sell you energy?

So they can generate less energy....but sell it for more (even if you bill
stays the same)....increasing their profit margin?

 

[petros]

SK Power has upped us from 9.5 cent a KWh to 12.5 cents in the past 3 years. Did we reduce useage any?

 

[L Gilbert]

The light bulb was the first experiment in planned obsolescence. I wonder how long it will take for them to reduce the life expectancy of the LED bulbs.

A long time. What reduces the longevity of LEDs is the parts that make them glow. Getting decent ones is just a matter of shopping around.

 

[petros]

Lighting is the bottom of the scale when it comes to domestic power usage.

 

[Ron in Regina]

SK Power has upped us from 9.5 cent a KWh to 12.5 cents in the past 3 years. Did we reduce useage any?

I upgraded to CFL's several years back (my bill stayed about the same).
I replaced an old dryer with an new energystar rated one (& my bill stayed
about the same). I replaced an old fridge with a new energystar rated one
in my rental suite....and my bill went up some. Recently upgraded to an
new frontload washer, and a newer fridge in my own suite....and my bill is
about the same.

 

[L Gilbert]

Lighting is the bottom of the scale when it comes to domestic power usage.

Sooooo .....?

 

[petros]

So where are the saving from your Energy Star green investment?

Sooooo .....?

Sooooo why waste your money?

 

[L Gilbert]

I upgraded to CFL's several years back (my bill stayed about the same).
I replaced an old dryer with an new energystar rated one (& my bill stayed
about the same). I replaced an old fridge with a new energystar rated one
in my rental suite....and my bill went up some. Recently upgraded to an
new frontload washer, and a newer fridge in my own suite....and my bill is
about the same.

lol Because the utility company keeps upping the cost for various reasons like inflation, cost of generation, maintenance, etc.

 

[MHz]

We need one that works after they turn the power plants off.

 

[L Gilbert]

So where are the saving from your Energy Star green investment?

Sooooo why waste your money?

Didn't. We spent a lot less on energy than last year. About $160 so far this winter.

 

[petros]

lol Because the utility company keeps upping the cost for various reasons like inflation, cost of generation, maintenance, etc.

How will increased taxation help a power company's bottom dollar and your bottom dollar?

 

[L Gilbert]

We need one that works after they turn the power plants off.

Poke your fingers in your eyes and go by starlight. lol

 

[petros]

Didn't. We spent a lot less on energy than last year. About $160 so far this winter.

Thank God it's warm this winter. I saved a bundle too and it wasn't from light bulbs.

 

[L Gilbert]

How will increased taxation help a power company's bottom dollar and your bottom dollar?

Well, for one thing, around here, it caused us to come up with ways of reducing costs in order to compensate for more taxes. DUH