LED Lighting

Chapter 8. Do LEDs Make Sense Today?

Whether or not LED bulbs make sense today is a judgment call that every person and business must make for themselves. A higher initial outlay has to be justified against future savings, both in terms of electricity saved and replacement costs. To some, it will seem obvious that LED bulbs are the way to go, while others will be happy to keep buying cheap incandescents as long as they are available. Stepping away from individual judgement calls, do LED bulbs make sense today?

There are three main factors to take into consideration before choosing to go the LED route: initial costs, power savings, and replacement costs. By tabulating these, every person, business, and organization should be able to figure out the the best option for them.

Initial cost is what holds most people and organizations back from buying a more expensive bulb. They see the incandescent bulb that has always worked for them, which is also the least expensive option, and the one that matches the rest of the bulbs they use, so it seems like the obvious solution. As CFL prices dropped, consumers were able to justify the extra expense thanks to their clear labeling about power savings and longer lives, but the mercury warnings have proven enough to turn many people off.

With today’s LEDs, people see bulbs that range from $20–$40 and immediately write them off, knowing that the purchase of a single solid-state bulb would get them enough incandescents to illuminate their entire home ...