Cost and Energy Savings of Compact Fluorescent Lights

As you may know, replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) is a simple project that can provide an easily measurable return on investment. Here are some details on the cost, potential savings and proper care of CFLs.

The purchase price of a CFL is typically 3–10 times greater than that of an equivalent incandescent lamp.

The benefits are that a CFL lasts 6–15 times longer and uses 3–4 times less energy.

Lighting accounts for close to 20 percent of the average home's electric bill. Despite their higher upfront costs, CFLs are more energy efficient and last longer than incandescent lights, so they produce energy and cost savings over time. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12% discount to estimate the savings.

For example, one U.S. article stated, "a household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity".

To maximize your energy savings, try to use your lighting only when necessary. This means keeping lights off when no one is in the room or not at home or work. You can also install motion sensor lights, which will do this automatically.

ENERGY STAR, a program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, is one of the most popular and trusted labels for appliances, equipment and products. ENERGY STAR qualified products use less energy, save money and are better for the environment.

ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy (electricity) than incandescent light bulbs, last up to 10 times longer, cost relatively little up front, and provide a quick return on investment.

If every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified CFL, it would save enough energy in one year to light more than 3 million homes.

Switching from traditional light bulbs (incandescent) to CFLs is an effective, simple change everyone in America can make right now. Making this change will help to use less electricity at home, which will prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change.

Once you have replaced some of your lighting with CFLs, it is important to reinforce this initiative with careful use and disposal. CFLs are made of glass and can break if dropped or roughly handled.

Fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a fluorescent bulb breaks in your home, some of this mercury is released as mercury vapor. To minimize exposure to mercury vapor, EPA recommends that residents follow CFL cleanup and disposal procedures.

The EPA is currently working with manufacturers and major U.S. retailers of CFLs to expand their recycling and disposal. This would reduce mercury emissions, which come from both natural and man-made sources.