LEDs to start replacing light bulbs soon

Experts say that light-emitting diodes will become economically viable as replacements for conventional light bulbs in about two years, which could lead to massive conservation of electricity.

Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, last about 100,000 hours, which is far longer than conventional filament bulbs. Unfortunately, the LEDs that can do this currently cost about $60. But prices have been declining by 50% a year, so two years from now the same LED should cost around $20.

Approximately 22% of the electricity consumed in the United States goes toward lighting, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Conventional light bulbs are incredibly inefficient. Only about 5% of the energy that goes into them turns into light. The majority gets dissipated as heat.

If 25% of the light bulbs in the U.S. were converted to LEDs, the U.S. as a whole could save $115 billion in utility costs, cumulatively, by 2025, and it would alleviate the need to build 133 new coal-burning power stations. In turn, carbon emissions in the atmosphere would go down by 258 metric tons.