Electric lighting: Difference between revisions

Worldwide, grid-based electric lighting consumes 19% of total global electricity production.^[1] The energy used to provide the world's light is 1 900 Mt of CO2 per year.^[1] In Africa 60% the energy for lighting and other needs is derived from wood, leading to deforestation.^[2] Combustion-based lighting is also a major cause of respiratory illness,^[3] and generally of poor quality for reading, contributing to illiteracy.^[4] All in all, plenty of reason to seek ways of providing more sustainable lighting everywhere. Certainly electric lighting will be a key part (in addition to Natural lighting).

• Incandescent light bulbs^W are being dubbed as "energy-inefficient" and are being phased out in the European Union. Although this is true, they are still more energy efficient than fuel-based lighting. In addition, they contain no environmentally-polluting components (when regular, and not halogen incandescents are used), and can offer work to artisans (ie glassworkers). The excess energy that is not used by the lamp is emitted as heat and can thus still prove useful at times for extra heating.

• Fluorescent lights^W with Electrical ballast#Electronic 'ballasts'^W are slightly more efficient than older fluorescent lights and give a more pleasant light.They come in 2 types: compact fluorescent (CF) lights and regular (long) fluorescent lamps. CFLs or compact fluorescent lights^W have the advantage that they can be used in regular light fittings. Most CFLs now come with an electronic ballast ^[5] Fluorescent lights are much cheaper than LED lamps, and only slightly less efficient.

• LED lighting is becoming increasingly attractive. It is used in remote regions such as Nepal, by the Light Up the World Foundation. These lights are far sturdier than other types of lighting, especially compared to fluorescent lights.

• LEC lighting^[6] is a economically more attractive option to LEDs. They are made using a roll-to-roll printing process which explains their much lower cost. They are however as energy efficient as LED's. The only downside they have is a starting time of about 2 seconds.

• LVD or Electromagnetic induction bulbs or the Electrodeless lamp^W These relatively new lamps offer dimmable, longer life and half the Watts per lumens than CFLs. ^[7] More information is needed on their performance ^{[verification needed]}

Suggested projects

• Compare light quality of different lights. What is the flicker rate of CFL? Are there better quality ones, comparable to the high quality but expensive tri-phoshpor fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts?^{[expansion needed]}
• Start a section on tri-phosphor lighting in the relevant Wikipedia and/or Appropedia article.)^{[expansion needed]}
• Compare the life expectancy of different types of lights - find peer-reviewed studies, if possible. What factors affect life expectancy?^{[expansion needed]} (CFLs sometime don't last as long as expected in my experience, though I've been told by an efficient lighting expert that Phillips and Osram are more reliable than other brands. --Chriswaterguy · talk 19:19, 1 May 2007 (PDT))

Interwiki links

• Wikipedia:Electric lighting