From: Science Daily —

Alternatives to the common incandescent light bulb are all the rage these days. Some folks are paying several times more per bulb than incandescents to use them but many still are not — in spite of the fact that experts insist the more-efficient, longer-lasting alternative bulbs offer an overall saving when compared to the cost of incandescents and the power to run them.

Some jurisdictions are pushing the switch to more-efficient lighting to save projected massive amounts of power in the future, enacting legislation to outlaw inefficient incandescents in the near future.

But how great is the potential for long term energy savings from new lighting technologies?

A typical screw-in (direct replacement) LED array light bulb.

As Science Daily reports: “If all of the world’s light bulbs were replaced with energy-efficient LEDs [light-emitting diode bulbs] for a period of ten years, researchers say it would reduce global oil consumption by 962 million barrels, reduce the need for 280 global power plants, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10.68 gigatons, and ultimately result in financial savings of $1.83 trillion.”

The potential benefits of so-called ‘smart lighting’ go far beyond saving energy and reducing pollution, though:

“Possible smart lighting applications include rapid biological cell identification, interactive roadways, boosting plant growth, and better supporting human circadian rhythms to reduce an individual’s dependency on sleep-inducing drugs or reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.”

LEDs are the cleanest and most energy efficient of a number of alternative light bulbs now available. The most popular energy savers for home ans business currently are ‘compact fluorescent’ gas-discharge bulbs.