Light wars!

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Light wars!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly know that I am a big advocate of CFL bulbs. Every day it seems that the technology gets better and the bulbs are being produced in new shapes, sizes, wattages, and light colors. You can now get CFL bulbs that are “instant-on” or even dimmable. With their low electrical use and drastically lower pricing, it is a no brainer, right? Well…not so fast, according to some.

Unable to throw off the shackles of the cheap energy burning incandescent, the federal government has issued a mandate on electric light. There are new standards for power use that must be met by 2012. So more CFL’s, right. Maybe, but some light manufacturers are investing in finding ways to reinvent the incandescent. Currently, we already have the technology to make the Edison bulb more efficient. We can cut the energy use by an easy 20-30 % right now. Problem is, it comes with a hefty $5 a bulb price tag. Researchers are assuring everyone that they will be able to make a competitively priced incandescent available at a more reasonable price in the new future. In true American style, no one has put a driving force behind developing this technology until the new government mandates came out. I can’t help but wonder why we are so married to this bulb when there are so many other options available right now. On the other hand, innovation spurs technology and perhaps we will find new uses for the things we learn in this arena. The main issue with current incandescent s is the use of energy to create heat rather than light. That is why CFLs use so little energy and create so little heat-they are more efficient at light generation. The downside has always been the quality of the light. Some people just hate fluorescent light. Now however, there are so many options, I do not understand this argument. We are no longer married to the humming and flickering of the old florescent technology. We can now dim bulbs and improve the color. New shapes are making them suitable for chandeliers and open lights. They no longer take time to warm up and are reaching the price of a good incandescent.

Let’s not ignore the growing use of LED technology. The reason that we have not seen a faster growth in this area is a simple matter of components. To make LED bulbs you need things like sapphire (which is expensive) or gallium nitride (which is delicate, and has a high failure rate). This puts the cost of most LEDs out of reach for the average consumer. Even with a life span that can be 10X that of CFLs, even I am not likely to spend up to $100 for a light bulb. New materials are now being tested, however, that may bring the cost of LED bulbs more in line with CFLs. Now we are talking! The cool thing about this research is that it is closely married to the components used in computing. As we learn in one arena, it helps spur the research in the other. This means more research spead across the spectrum, promoting faster innovations and breakthroughs in both areas!

New improvements in ballasts for HID lamps are out now, as well. HID lamps are High Density bulbs used in places like stadiums and stores with high ceilings (like Costco). They are relatively efficient, but take a few minutes to warm up and can’t be dimmed. The new ballasts are going to fix these problems-making them more attractive in some settings.

Who will win the light wars? That is not an easy question to answer. I think that the home of the future will be lit with a variety of new efficient bulbs, each built for a specific purpose. I see the street being lit with HID bulbs that are highly efficient. Then your home will likely be lit with CFLs and spot lit (like artwork) with LED technology. All built to a new energy saving controlled smart home interface that allows light to be turned off automatically and empty rooms left unilluminated. I don’t see house incandescent bulbs fit into the picture-but what do I know? What about you? Do you care if the the incandescent bulb goes away forever?