A Bright concept: Energy-Efficient Incandescents

Congress passed a law two years ago to phase out incandescents by 2012, when stricter efficiency standards are set to be enforced. In March, the E.U. passed similar legislation.

But according to this New York Times article, incandescent bulb-makers, including Philips, General Electric and Osram Sylvania, aren’t y to throw in the towel. These companies are responding to the legislation with a wave of research and innovation that’s yielding more efficient lighting products.

Philips Lighting’s Energy Savers, available from Amazon or Home Depot, are 30 percent more efficient than the old-school variety. The bulbs work by reflecting the energy normally given off as heat back to the filament, where it can be transformed into light. 

So far, compact fluorescents remain the more efficient option, with their ability to use 75 percent less energy than the old incandescents. Makers of the new Energy Savers, however, say their bulbs appeal to those who prefer an incandescent’s lighting, or who take issue with a compact fluorsescent’s start-up duration, or who are uneasy with the mercury inside them. Meanwhile, research to create a more efficient bulb continues. The companies’ goal is to create a bulb that’s at least as efficient as a compact fluorescent.