LED (Light Emitting Diode) is not only the most energy-efficient lighting technology today; it is also the most rapidly developing. LEDs are expected to become more affordable and even more efficient in the next 5 years. LEDs are also more resistant to impact force, have longer life spans, and produce a better quality and color of light compared to other lighting sources. The long term cost savings, however, is the foremost advantage of LED over competing technologies.

Energy Savings

LED has changed the landscape of lighting forever. It has almost made incandescent lighting obsolete especially in the United States where it is expected that a total ban on the sale and use of incandescent lighting will become nationwide by 2020. In 2016, the Federal Government had also encouraged business owners and homeowners to switch to LED by offering a tax incentive for those who will replace their incandescent lights with LED lights.

LEDs use 75-90% less energy compared to their incandescent counterparts. LEDs can also last 25-40 times longer and with 95% of an LED bulb being recyclable, LEDs have become the perfect example of a green and sustainable source of lighting.

To illustrate how much money can be saved by switching from incandescent lighting to LED lighting, let us look at the cost of having a lit holiday tree during the holiday season. Let us assume the following details:

Number of C-9 Bulbs Needed: 50

Number of Mini-lights Needed: 200

Electricity Rate: $0.119 per kilowatt-hour

Using the above data, the resulting cost of electricity to light a 6-foot holiday tree for 12 hours each day for 40 days will be:

Incandescent C-9 Bulbs + Incandescent Mini-lights = Energy Cost

$10.00 + $0.27 = $10.27

LED C-9 Bulbs + LED Mini-lights = Energy Cost

$2.74 + $0.82 = $3.56

Cost Difference = $6.71

Now that we know the difference in electricity cost, let us add in the cost of replacement and determine the difference in total costs between using incandescent lighting and LED lighting for your holiday tree for 10 holidays. Let us assuming the following details:

Life of Incandescent Lights: 1,500 hours

Life of LED lights: 25,000 hours

Annual Discount Rate: 5.6%

Prices for both Incandescent and LED lighting based on quoted prices for low volume purchases from major home improvement retailers.

Using the 2 sets of data above, the total cost of buying and operating incandescent lights and LED lights for your holiday tree (12 hours per day for 40 days each year) for 10 years are as follows:

Incandescent C-9 Bulbs + Incandescent Mini-lights = Operating and Replacement Cost

$122.19+ $$55.62= $177.81

LED C-9 Bulbs + LED Mini-lights = Energy Cost

$17.99+ $33.29= $51.28

Cost Difference = $126.53

You can save $126.53 in 10 years just during the 40-day holiday seasons. Now imagine how much you can save once the remaining 325 days of each year are included in the calculations. Do yourself a favor.Get LED lights now and reap the benefits of efficient lighting.