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What are the Light Bulb Wars

Artwork by bloggerknight2009

What are the Light Bulb Wars Energy Independence And Security Act of 2007 Requires roughly 25 percent greater efficiency for light b lb   h d i  f     h h bulbs, phased in from 2012 through 2014

Effectively bans the manufacturing and importing of most current incandescent light bulbsmost current incandescent light bulbs

Rationale: 22% of US electricity consumption due to lighting (2010) 22% of US electricity consumption due to lighting (2010) That’s 13% of our total energy

Wikipedia.org

What are the Light Bulb Wars Should incandescent bulbs be banned from production?

?

Why are they controversial? "We are taking away a choice that continues to let people waste their own money” p p y

–Secretary Chu

How did this battle arise?

Where does the energy go?

US Energy Report 2001

How many lumens do we need?

What’s the matter with incandescent?

Why is incandescent under attack?

What’s the matter with incandescent? Let’s look at how they work Low pressure inert gas (argon, 

i  k   )nitrogen, krypton, xenon) Tungston Filament ~ 3000K

M tl  i f d  t Mostly infrared spectrum Get Hot!

What’s the matter with incandescent? Let’s look at how they work Low pressure inert gas (argon, 

i  k   )nitrogen, krypton, xenon) Tungston Filament ~ 3000K

M tl  i f d  t Mostly infrared spectrum Get Hot!

What’s the matter with incandescent?

Associated Press

What’s the matter with incandescent? How are they made:

Cheaply Recipe since 1879 – filament, gas, bulb, wires

Why are CFLs smarter?

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

How do they work? Electric current through mercury vapor excites ionized H   tHg atoms

Hg atoms emit UV light – 253.7  and 185 nm Phosphor coating on glass fluoresces in visible range Phosphor coating on glass fluoresces in visible range

Current regulated by “ballast”

Howstuffworks.com

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

Power converted to visible light: CFL: ~22% (50‐70 lumens/watt)(5 7 ) Incandescent ~2% (10‐17 lumens/watt)

Heat production: Hot bulbs increase building’s air d ( l )conditioning costs (in warm climates)

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

Power converted to visible light: CFL: ~22% (50‐70 lumens/watt)(5 7 ) Incandescent ~2% (10‐17 lumens/watt)

Heat production: Hot bulbs increase building’s air d ( l )conditioning costs (in warm climates)

Last Longer CFL: 6000 15000 hours CFL: 6000‐15000 hours Incandescent: 750‐1000 hours

Energystar CFL report 2007

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

CFL Incandescent

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

CFL Incandescent

How can we compare CFLs to incandescent?

1991

How can we compare CFLs to incandescent?

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

CFL Incandescent

Easy bake ovenLow production impact

No mercury in 

Cheap

L  l

Power‐>lightMore efficient

No mercury in the bulbLast longer

How can we compare CFLs to incandescent?

Consider 8000 hours of use:

CFL 13Watt 104 kWh

Incandescent 60 Watt 480 kWhIncandescent 60 Watt 480 kWh

‐Maryland Energy Administration‐Energy Star.gov

How can we compare CFLs to incandescent?

But how about the mercury used? National Average Mercury emissions

0.012 mg/kWh

1 2 mg from  0 44 mg 

1 6 mg

1.2 mg from electricity 

use

0.44 mg from 

landfilling

5 76 mg

5.76 mg from electricity use

0 mg from landfilling

1.6 mg 5.76 mg

CFL (uses 104 kWh)     Incandescent (uses 480 kWh)

‐Maryland Energy Administration‐Energy Star.gov

H CFL i d ?How can we compare CFLs to incandescent?

Energy Star.gov

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

CFL Incandescent

How much money do we really save?

Incandescent: 32c / bulb CFL: $4.47 / bulb

The Home Depot

How much money do we really save?

Incandescent: 32c / bulb CFL: $4.47 / bulb At best lifetime ratio: 15,000/750 = 20, saves $2/bulb~$2/bulb

How much money do we really save?

Incandescent: 32c / bulb CFL: $4.47 / bulb At best lifetime ratio: 15,000/750 = 20, saves $2/bulb~$2/bulb

At worst lifetime ratio: 6000/1000 = 6, loses 6000/1000   6, loses ~$2.5/bulb

But how about electricity costs?

Incandescent: 32c / bulb CFL: $4.47 / bulb Reasonable estimate of electricity cost – 20c /kWhF  8  h For 8000 hours: CFL: $20.80 Incandescent: $ 96 00 Incandescent: $ 96.00

!!!

Why are Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Better?

CFL Incandescent

Why all the fuss?

"It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use“Americans should use‐Fred Upton  (R., Mich.)

WSJ.com

Why all the fuss?

"It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use“Americans should use‐Fred Upton  (R., Mich.)

In 2011, new bill introduced to disallow government spending to enforce new standards.

WSJ.com

Why all the fuss?

"It was never my goal for Washington to decide what type of light bulbs Americans should use“Americans should use‐Fred Upton  (R., Mich.)

In 2011, new bill introduced to disallow government spending to enforce new In 2011, new bill introduced to disallow government spending to enforce new standards.Light bulb manufacturers have already replaced fabrication lines:“A delay in enforcement undermines those investments and creates regulatory 

t i t ”  J h Hi b (N ti l El t i l M f t  A i ti )

WSJ.com, poltico.com

uncertainty.” ‐ Joseph Higbee (National Electrical Manufacturers Association)

Why all the fuss?

"The American people want less government intrusion into their lives, not more, and that includes staying out of their includes staying out of their personal light‐bulb choices."‐Michele Bachmann (R., Minn.)

(The bill) “was passed at the height of the global warming fad‐scare when all proper fad scare when all proper thinkers were supposed to sacrifice to the anticarbon gods.”‐WSJ editorial

WSJ.com, physicstoday.org

Why all the fuss?

"I will concede over the life of the bulb...that you probably do save some money, but it takes a long time to save it ”long time to save it.‐Rep. Joe Barton (R., Texas)

WSJ.com

Why all the fuss?

"I will concede over the life of the bulb...that you probably do save some money, but it takes a long time to save it ”long time to save it.‐Rep. Joe Barton (R., Texas)

Life of CFL bulb – 15000 hours at most – is about 2 years.Life of CFL bulb  15000 hours at most  is about 2 years.

WSJ.com

Conclusion

CFLs do make sense over incandescent bulbs.L   f  h   h i      b   b   Lots of the rhetoric seems to be about re‐election.

This remains a patch to a greater issue This remains a patch to a greater issue.