In recent years, the energy price has more than doubled. Many people therefore want to save on their energy consumption. One of the preferred ways to save on electricity is energy-saving lamps. Energy-saving lamps are much more economical than the old incandescent lamp. This is not only good for the wallet, but also for the environment! Would you like to know how you can save energy with energy-saving lamps? Read this article about: Saving energy and money with energy-saving lamps.
Lighting and energy
An average household uses an average of 3402kWh of electricity annually. Of that 3402kWh, an average of 543kWh is spent on lighting. That is more than 1/6 of the total annual consumption! The prognosis is that energy will only become more expensive in the coming decades. It is therefore wise to save on lighting. This is not only good for the wallet, but also better for the environment.
Energy-saving lamps
A good way to save on your energy bill is to replace old light bulbs with new energy saving bulbs. Energy-saving lamps are slightly more expensive than the standard incandescent lamp but usually burn (depending on the quality of the energy saving lamp) 15,000 hours against 1000 burning hours for an average incandescent lamp. Furthermore, CFLs are energy efficient and much better for the environment. The efficiency of a CFL is 5 to 6 times higher than that of an ordinary light bulb.
Why are CFLs more economical than incandescent bulbs?
Energy-saving lamps are more economical than incandescent lamps because the light generation process is completely different. Energy-saving lamps are actually small fluorescent tubes that fit in a normal socket. Energy-saving lamps and fluorescent tubes are fluorescent lamps. Gas discharges in the lamp emit ultraviolet radiation, causing a fluorescent layer to light up. This way of light generation is much more efficient than the traditional way, where a filament is heated and some of the energy is converted into heat instead of light.
Different types of energy-saving lamps
In general, four different types of energy-saving lamps can be distinguished
- Energy-saving lamps with a normal screw socket with the front switch in the base
- Energy-saving lamps with a normal screw base and different positions
- Energy-saving lamps with plug fitting
- Energy-saving lamps with timer or motion sensor
Energy label on lamps
Lamps have had an energy label since January 2001. When purchasing new lighting, take a good look at the energy label of the lamp. Label A is the most efficient and label G is the least efficient. A class A energy-saving lamp typically consumes 80% less power than an incandescent lamp with the E label and, depending on the quality of the lamp, of course, burn about five to fifteen times longer!
How much do you save with energy-saving lamps?
The ultimate question is of course; how much do energy saving lamps save? Unfortunately, CFLs are still considerably more expensive to buy than incandescent bulbs, nevertheless, CFLs will be more cost effective than incandescent bulbs. When a 60-watt energy-saving lamp burns an average of three hours a day, you save about 16,667 kWh per year, and that pays off!