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The return of the incandescent light bulb

January 12, 2016 by Alan Stainer

The return of the incandescent light bulb

Traditionally incandescent light bulbs waste a lot of energy, only emitting about 5% as light. Fluorescent and LED technology is better, managing to reach up to 14% efficiency.

Now the attention is back on incandescent light bulbs, as researchers have found a way to recycle the heat given off and use it to produce more light instead. They believe it may be possible to achieve 40% efficiency like this!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12093545/Return-of-incandescent-light-bulbs-as-MIT-makes-them-more-efficient-than-LEDs.html

Heard this on the radio earlier, but h/t to Nicholas Berry for the link.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/12093545/Return-of-incandescent-light-bulbs-as-MIT-makes-them-more-efficient-than-LEDs.html

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Filed Under: Green Technology Tagged With: Alan Stainer

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Comments

  1. Steven Fitzgerald says

    January 12, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    Fascinating, I now want some.

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  2. Alan Stainer says

    January 12, 2016 at 2:27 pm

    Me too Steven Fitzgerald 

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  3. Sam Martinson says

    January 12, 2016 at 2:32 pm

    Yay! Now we can save the world!!!

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  4. The Dredd Potato says

    January 13, 2016 at 12:15 am

    So will this make meth heads 40% more efficient?

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  5. Sam Martinson says

    January 13, 2016 at 4:35 am

    Will now go burn my florescent light bulbs

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  6. Tina Bassett says

    January 13, 2016 at 5:30 am

    I not surprised that the people at MIT have done this! They are very smart!

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  7. Nola Coulter says

    January 13, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    Too bad it is illegal to sell/use them here, in Toronto. I still use ‘old’ style bulbs. The Govt. reacted too soon before there was a viable plan to deal with all the mercury. Soo frustrating. Ty MIT, congrats.

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  8. Dr. Ishiku Yūki (偉大な石工) says

    January 14, 2016 at 4:14 pm

    actually Led emit 50-60% of their power as light

    there is no way light bulbs can be better unless they would create no heat

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  9. Alan Stainer says

    January 14, 2016 at 4:26 pm

    Ishiku Yūki can you point to an article that states that?

    I found an article which indicates LED bulbs give around 55-70 lumens per watt, but that isn’t the same as saying they are 55-70% efficient. The same article also shows incandescent bulbs giving 13-18 lumens per watt.

    Here’s a link to it. http://cleantechnica.com/2014/11/05/led-lighting-efficiency-jumps-roughly-50-since-2012/

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  10. Sam Martinson says

    January 15, 2016 at 3:19 am

    Nola Coulter sorry bro

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  11. Nola Coulter says

    January 15, 2016 at 7:26 pm

    Samuel Martinson Hey,…y sorry?  ‘Cause the ‘hot’ bulbs are illegal now? If so, I know!! There ought to be laws against lobbying, eh!?   Ishiku Yūki I have other uses for ‘old’ or ‘hot’ style bulbs other than just for light.  Many things can be used in many, or at least a couple, different ways than they are marketed. 

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  12. Sam Martinson says

    January 16, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    Ah

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  13. Sam Martinson says

    January 16, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    Nola Coulter I see

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  14. Edwin Laarz says

    February 6, 2016 at 8:56 pm

    Lobbyists trying to bring back old tech so they don’t need to adapt to changing times. You want a straight up comparison of current tech

    http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.html

    According to this LEDs are at least 8 times more efficient than incandescent, without accounting for heat loss or lifespan. Incandescent is dead tech unless you are using it as a heat source.

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  15. aron cutishtanu says

    February 12, 2016 at 12:21 pm

    Greatest

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  16. Binaya Shrestha says

    February 20, 2016 at 8:16 am

    I expect them to be more eye soothing.

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  17. Filinto Rodrigues says

    October 8, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    I like LEDs more…but this is good news also.

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  18. Filinto Rodrigues says

    October 12, 2016 at 6:36 pm

    I from time to time like to change from led to incandescent to help my eyes see better and not use always use the same white light or incandescent light……

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