Lights account for almost 20 percent of the world’s energy use. But that figure could be drastically reduced, thanks to the impact of LED lighting. It could mean "lights out" on a technology that’s been around 140 years.
The incandescent light bulbs that illuminate our offices, streets and homes once accounted for a significant percentage of those sales. But the shelf-life on this bulb is a short one.
A U.S. federal law which took effect January 1st will end production of the 75 watt light bulb. Retailers can sell left-over stock, but manufacturers can no longer make the bulbs. It is an effort to save energy and reduce waste.
Rajit Gadh, Engineering Professor at the University of California in Los Angeles, said, "About 90% of the total energy that goes into the light bulb actually gets converted into lumens or light. The rest of it goes into heat. That’s why this particular law was passed. The idea was they wanted to improve the energy efficiency of lighting."
