5 Energy Saving Lightbulbs Coming Soon

According to the US EPA, lighting accounts for roughly 20 % of the a household electric bills. Federal policy is fostering the development of more energy efficient lighting to outshine (pun intended) bulbs that haven't seen much improvement in the past 100 years. First to knock the incandescents of its mantle was the Compact Fluorescent Light bulb, or CFL. Now Light Emitting Diodes, or more commonly LEDs, are gaining traction.

Light most emerging technologies the prices are high. Greater competition within the industry has forced the price of these light bulbs to drop fairly dramatically over the past couple years. However the prices are still too high to break through just yet. The current round of offerings cost between $40 and $50 a bulb.

However, the even at that price they are cost effective against your old incandescent bulb. The new bulbs deliver the same amount of light while using just 25% of the electricity, and they last 25 times longer. For more on the cost effectiveness of LEDs click here.

The market for these bulbs will be people who are looking to lower their electric bill and ease their burden on the environment. Many of these customers have probably recently outfitted their house with CFLs. LEDs still offer significant advantages over CFLs. They last 10 times longer, no hazardous materials, do not emit ambient heat (which contributes to your cooling costs) and are more energy efficient.

5 LED Bulbs You Can (Soon) Buy To Replace Incandescents