$50 Light Bulb That Replaces A 25¢ Bulb Got A $10 Million Government 'Prize'

American Thinker ^ | 03/12/2012 | Warren Beatty

[SeekAndFind]

Have you ever heard of the "L" Prize? The Department of Energy's (DOE) "L" Prize challenged the lighting industry to develop high performance, energy-saving replacements for conventional light bulbs that will save American consumers and businesses money. Initiated in 2008 during the George W. Bush administration, DOE's first "L" Prize category was the 60-watt bulb because it is one of the most widely used types of light bulbs by consumers.

The "L" Prize was meant to hasten manufacturers' production of more efficient light bulbs in order to ease the transition away from inefficient incandescent light bulbs to more efficient Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLED or just LED) bulbs. DOE Secretary Steven Chu said the prize was initiated to get the lighting industry to offer CFL and LED bulbs at prices "affordable for American families."

DOE announced in August, 2011, that Philips Lighting North America has won the first award under the Department's Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize ("L" Prize) competition. Philips received a $10 million cash prize as well as "L" Prize partner promotions and incentives. The new light bulb was demonstrated at the LightFair trade show in Philadelphia this week, and will go on sale next year.

All of that is well and good (if you can call awarding a $10 million cash prize "good"). But there is one slight problem with the winning light bulb -- it costs $50, and that's not a typo. That price seems a bit high, considering that the bulb it was designed to replace costs about 25¢. Similar LED bulbs that did not win the "L" Prize are less than half the cost. For example, EcoSmart offers an LED bulb, assembled in Mexico, for $23.97. And another Philips LED bulb, made in China, sells for $24.97.

[SeekAndFind]

It would take almost four periods (the ratio of total cost for LED versus Incandescent: $1,250.025/$318.75) of 50,000 hours for the total cost of the incandescent light bulb total cost to overtake LED total cost (the breakeven point of LED bulb ownership). Fifty thousand hours is equivalent to 5.7 years, so it would take 22.4 years (5.7 * 3.922) before incandescent bulb costs would exceed LED bulb cost. For CFL bulbs, with a cost ratio of 1.569, "only" 1.569 of the 50,000 hour periods is required, or 9 years. And those calculations are based upon having the lights on for 24 hours per day.

These are numbers that would only make sense to Nobel Prize winners like Secretary Chu and his Nobel Prize winning boss, Barack Obama ( Of course, Nobel Prize winning economist, Paul Krugman would approve ).

[sickoflibs]

I stocked up on the 25 cents bulbs last year. They still are being sold this year until supplies run out. Unclear if they can be imported after that.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

Wish we could replace all the “dim bulbs” in Washington.

[woodbutcher1963]

The 100 watt go first, I believe this year.
Then 75 watt next year, followed by 60 watt.

[gunsequalfreedom]

Wish we could replace all the “dim bulbs” in Washington.

Are you saying your vote is worthless?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

What is WRONG with all you people? You should all be more like Danica Patrick and trust our government to make the wisest of all possible decisions for us. They are the elite, the ones that know best for all of us. We should be proud to have such wonderful public servants willing to make such sacrifices for us.

</s>

[PBRSTREETGANG]

No.

Are you saying I get to vote in all congressional elections?

[dareon]

The math in your table is far from correct. a 60 watt bulb uses 60 watts an hour x 1000 hours x 50 bulbs = 3000kWh which at $0.10 per kWh thats $300. A well designed LED light could do the same for about $25 dollar power usage. It will be more like 1k hours for the light to pay for itself.

This relies however on the electronics of the LED holding up for 10,000 hours. Them being manufactured by the lowest cost Chinese factory.... I have cfls that have went out in a few months...

[dareon]

10k hours for the light to pay for itself

[gunsequalfreedom]

Are you saying I get to vote in all congressional elections?

Voting is al 50 states is technically illegal and working all 50 is something even Presidential candidates find difficult.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming you for the $10 million prize for a $50 light bulb. But exactly what did the person you voted for do to stop this nonsense?

[preacher]

Video: The price of going green: $50 light bulbs?

http://fxn.ws/x4vKyN

[cyberstoic]

You are right, but the problem is one of longevity. The cfl bulbs I have owned have never lasted anywhere near what they are supposed to.I have also used LED bulbs that barely lasted 4 months. They seem a good idea on paper but not so much when you actually use them.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

I live in New York. The people I voted for...are no closer to Washington today than I am.

[MrB]

So... watt’s up with the “non-dimmable” LED bulbs being sold at Costco?

I though all LEDs were supposed to be dimmable?

[RightField]

There was an informative FR thread on Saturday: Legal Incandescent Bulbs are Here (New Rush Sponsor)
with work-arounds to the incandescent light bulb ban.

This link is on that thread: Newcandescent.com

and this clever solution:

[mountainlion]

I am surprised that GE did not get the prize to give it back in good Boama propaganda in their news chain.

[trailhkr1]

LED’s are no longer $50. Lowes has them for $20-22.00 and I expect the cost will go down...and they last 10,000 hours.

[ctdonath2]

Stupid question as I duplicate your calculations: how are you getting energy used? Lifespan x power x timespan adjustment / k = 1,000x60x50/1,000=3,000

(or am I just being dumb on a Monday morning?)

[Izzy Dunne]

I don't know where your table comes from, but it looks like there are mistakes in it.

50000 hours at 10 W = 500,000 W-hr, or 500 kWH, or $50 electric cost.
50000 hours at 14 W = 700,000 W-hr, or 700 kWH, or $70 electric cost.
50000 hours at 60 W = 3,000,000 W-hr or 3000 kWH, or $300 electric cost.

Add in the original price and you get:
LED = $50 + $50
CFL = $4+ $70
INC = $0.25 + $300

I don't know about Chu, but that makes sense to me.

And Wal Mart has a CFL called "Lights of America" that uses 14W, and costs $0.97, and offers 900 lumens (brighter than a typical 60W incandescent at 770 lumens).

And they've lasted for 6 months now. ( Yes, some past CFLs cost me $4.00 and lasted 10 hours)

Looks like you're spreading manure , here.