A prize-winning LED light bulb which is to last for 20 years went on sale in US – also known as Earth Day.
The odd looking bulb by the electronics conglomerate Philips had been the only entry and the winner of the Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize competition run by the US Department of Energy.
The first versions of the new bulb cost $60, but Philips has already arranged some discounts with some shops where they will be sold for only $20.
“Because the new bulb is 83 percent more energy efficient than the standard 60-Watt incandescent, consumers can now experience new savings for their pocketbooks,” Philips North America executive Ed Crawford told the media.
However, the consumers are still to be convinced the energy-saving bulb is worth its price – reportedly, the 10W bulb will last 30,000 hours and save some $165 over its lifetime compared to a similar 60W incandescent, while providing with the same brightness.
Based on the DoE estimates, the awarded LED light bulb can potentially save over $3.9 billion in electricity bills annually if it were to replace the less-effective 60-watt bulb in the United States
In the last years, production of 100 watt bulbs in both Europe and the US has ceased, faced with a competition from compact fluorescent lights, which are as efficient and come at lower price. In the US, incandescent bulbs of 40 watts or above are to be banned from 2014.
