Should Governments Ban Incandescent Bulbs for CFLs to Save Energy?

[Pengwuino]

I was thinking that it would be interesting if the government put a ban or something on IC bulbs for domestic residential uses. It seems like CF bulbs are more efficient and in the end actually more economical (based on $/hours usable before failing). It seems like it would be an easy calculation to determine how much electricity could be saved for the switch-over since you would expect roughly the same # of bulbs to go out each year and be re-purchased.

What are the pitfalls of CF that might not make this possible? Have i asked this before? Should i be president?

 

[scott1]

Should i be president?

Ok I'll vote for you as long as make me secetruary of education/secerturary defence/secertury of proper gramer use

 

[Pengwuino]

Ok I'll vote for you as long as make me secetruary of education/secerturary defence/secertury of proper gramer use

I will not be bought off by special interests

 

[Cyrus]

I am going to impeach you!

 

[rachmaninoff]

Interesting leap:

Compact fluorescents are very efficient.

--> The federal government should criminalize incandescence. An additional $15 billion for enforcement, tacked on to a military appropriations bill.

 

[Pengwuino]

Interesting leap:

Compact fluorescents are very efficient.

--> The federal government should criminalize incandescence. An additional $15 billion for enforcement, tacked on to a military appropriations bill.

$30 billion if I am elected president! Think of our children's future!

 

[rachmaninoff]

Q: How many web-surfing environmentalists does it take to change a lightbulb?

 

[scott1]

I will not be bought off by special interests

Ok..but can you put incharge of light bulb inspections?

 

[russ_watters]

I was thinking that it would be interesting if the government put a ban or something on IC bulbs for domestic residential uses. It seems like CF bulbs are more efficient and in the end actually more economical (based on $/hours usable before failing). It seems like it would be an easy calculation to determine how much electricity could be saved for the switch-over since you would expect roughly the same # of bulbs to go out each year and be re-purchased.

What are the pitfalls of CF that might not make this possible? Have i asked this before? Should i be president?

Yes, we have had this discussion before, but I'm a big fan of CF lamps...

Right now, their low sales are strictly a matter of economics - people don't realize how much money they lose in the long term by not putting up the extra ~$5 up front for the bulbs. Its a classic business problem that plagues my industry as well. Incentives (or putative legislation) would certainly help and I think it is something that should be done.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls

If every household in the U.S. replaced one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), it would prevent enough pollution to equal removing one million cars from the road. CFLs provide high-quality light, smart technology, and design, requiring less energy while lasting longer than typical incandescent bulbs.

ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.

Their numbers are much too conservative, though - a good 23 watt, not a 32 watt, CF is equivalent to a 100w incadescent. They also don't include the effect it has on air conditioning in the summer.

More numbers: a $6, 10,000 hour 23w CF will cost about $30 to power over its lifetime (at $.13per kWh).
3.3, $2, 3000 hour (total cost: $6.6) 100w incandescents will cost about $130 to power.