Saving energy in our home using CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light bulb)

?  A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also known as a compact fluorescent light or energy saving light (or less commonly as a compact fluorescent tube [CFT]), is a type of fluorescent lamp.  Many CFLs are designed to replace an incandescent lamp and can fit into most existing light fixtures formerly used for incandescent.

?  CFLs need a little more energy when they are first turned on, but once the electricity starts moving, use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. A CFL’s ballast helps "kick start" the CFL and then regulates the current once the electricity starts flowing.

Did you know….

• CFLs use only a fraction of the amount of the electricity used by comparable incandescent light bulbs (see table below).
• By switching to a CFL, electricity savings in the first year will more than pay for the cost  of the CFL (for the lights you use the most).
• CFL last up to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs.
• CFL are available in many sizes to fit most light fixtures.
• CFL are available for 3-way and dimmable lamps
• If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star qualified bulb, we would save energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

Annual and Life Cycle Costs and Savings for CFLs

1 CFLs Qualified Units

1 Conventional Units

Savings with  CFLs

Annual Operating Costs

Energy Cost

$2

$6

$5

Maintenance Cost

$0

$4

$4

Total

$2

$10

$9

Life Cycle Costs

Operating Cost (energy and maintenance)

$12

$77

$65

Energy Costs (lifetime)

$12

$48

$36

Maintenance Costs (lifetime)

$0

$29

$29

Purchase Price for 1 Units

$3.50

$.50

-$3.00

Total

$15

$77

$62

Summary of Benefits for CFLs

Initial cost difference

$3

Life Cycle Savings

$65

Net Life Cycle Savings (Life Cycle Savings - Additional Cost)

$62

Simple Payback of Additional Cost (years)

0.3

Life Cycle Energy Saved (kWh)

450

Life Cycle Air Pollution Reduction (lbs of CO2)

691

Air Pollution Reduction Equivalence (number of cars removed from the road for a year)

0.06

Air Pollution Reduction Equivalence (acres of forest)

0.09

Savings as a percent of retail price

1767%