GREEN SPACE: The time has come for LED

Metromode has talked about compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) before, and we will continue to talk of them as an improvement over traditional light bulbs. But some pioneers are going even further, buying LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs that cost waaay more than CFLs but use a fraction of the electricity.

Given how energy costs are climbing, that initial investment will pay off sooner rather than later. The Park Bar in Detroit is lit with all LEDs and uses just 130 kW of electricity, which is the equivalent of two standard light bulbs. Owner Jerry Belanger estimates that he made back the higher purchase cost of the LED bulbs with his energy savings in just four months.

Other local examples include the exterior lights at Motor City Casino, Ann Arbor’s streetlights and the majority of newer stoplights at intersections.

It looks like residential use is still far away for the vast majority of us, though. As a recent New York Times article put it:

The problem, though, is the price. A standard 60-watt incandescent usually costs less than $1. An equivalent compact fluorescent is about $2. But in Europe this September, Philips, the Dutch company dealing in consumer electronics, health care machines and lighting, is to introduce the Ledino, its first L.E.D. replacement for a standard incandescent. Priced at $107 a bulb, it is unlikely to have more than a few takers.

But as bulb manufacturers and the government continue to take baby steps towards complete embrace of the technology, local companies like Relume are jumping on the horse before it becomes a bandwagon.

Take note, would-be entrepreneurs.

Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh

GREEN SPACE: The time has come for LED

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