Cost Comparison between LEDs, CFLs and Incandescent light bulbs LED CFL Incandescent

Light bulb projected lifespan Watts per bulb (equiv. 60 watts) Cost per bulb KWh of electricity used over 50,000 hours Cost of electricity (@ 0.20per KWh) Bulbs needed for 50k hours of use Equivalent 50k hours bulb expense Total cost for 50k hours 50,000 hours 6 $35.95 300 $60 1 $35.95 $95.95 10,000 hours 14 $3.95 700 $140 5 $19.75 $159.75 1,200 hours 60 $1.25 3000 $600 42 $52.50 $652.50

Energy Savings over 50,000 hours, assuming 25 bulbs per household: Total cost for 30 bulbs Savings to household by switching from incandescents $2398.75 $13,913.75 $3993.75 $12,318.75 $16,312.50 0

Notes: - Cost of electricity will vary. The figures used above are for comparison only, and are not exact. - The cost per bulb for LEDs may vary. We used the figure of $35.95 (for a 6 watt LED) as an average among lighting retailers. Eartheasy's retail price for a 7 watt LED is $39.95. - Estimates of bulb lifespan are projected, since it would take about 6 years of continuous lighting to test. Some manufacturers claim the new LED bulbs will last up to 25 years under normal household use, but this is not proven. - Bulb breakage and bulb replacement costs have not been factored into this comparison chart. Incandescent bulbs and CFL bulbs are more easily broken than LEDs, which increases their cost of use. - Most LEDs come with a minimum 2-year guarantee. Any defective LED bulb will usually fail within this time.

Comparing the top LED lightbulbs for household use

LED bulb ZetaLux Warm White ZetaLux Cool White DesignoLux NX8 EvoLux SH Warm White Price $39.95 $39.95 $43.95 $49.95 Watts Lumens 7 7 8 13 350 450 300 1000 Incandescent Equivalent Dimmable CRI Watts 40 - 50 50 - 60 40 - 50 75 - 100 no no no no 80 75 80 80 Lifespan > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs

EvoLux SH Cool White DesignoLux Candelabra EarthPAR-20, R-20, Spot light, Warm White LumiSelect MR-16 PRO, Warm White, Dimmable

$49.95 $27.95 $54.95 $54.95

13 3 7 5 6 9 12

1075 150 400 350 300 450 650

75 - 100 20 40 - 50 40 - 50 40 - 50 40 - 60 50 - 60

no no no yes yes yes yes

75 80 70 75 80 80 92

> 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 50,000 hrs > 35,000 hrs

LumiSelect PAR-16 Warm $65.95 White, Dimmable LumiSelect PAR-20 Warm $85.95 White, Dimmable Cree LR 6 Bulb and Module, Warm White, Dimmable Cree LR 5 Bulb and Module, Warm White, Dimmable $124.95

$159.95

10.5

540

40 - 60

yes

94

> 35,000 hrs

Notes: - Dimmable LEDs cost about 40% more than non-dimmable LEDs of similar wattage. - Estimates of bulb lifespan are projected, since it would take about 6 years of continuous lighting to test. Some manufacturers claim the new LED bulbs may last up to 25 years under normal household use. Terms: - Lumens - The unit of measurement of the flow of light, or 'luminous flux'. With light bulbs, it provides an estimate of the apparent amount of light the bulb will produce. - Coloring Rendering Index (CRI) . CRI represents the quality of light and its ability to render colors correctly. The EvoLux bulb, for example, features a CRI of 75 for Cool White and 80 for Warm White making it one of the highest in the industry.

Equivalent wattages and light output of Incandescent, CFL and LED bulbs Light Output LEDs CFLs Incandescents Lumens
450 300 - 900 1100 - 1300

Watts
4-5 6-8 9 - 13

Watts
8 - 12 13 - 18 18 - 22

Watts
40 60 75 - 100

1600 - 1800 2600 - 2800

16 - 20 25 - 28

23 - 30 30 - 55

100 150

Comparing the features of Incandescent, CFL and LED bulbs LEDs

Frequent On/Off Cycling Turns on instantly Durability Heat Emitted Sensitivity to temperature Sensitivity to humidity Hazardous Materials Replacement frequency (over 50k hours) no effect yes durable low (3 btu's/hr) no no none 1

CFLs
shortens lifespan slight delay fragile medium (30 btu's/hr) yes yes 5 mg mercury/bulb 5

Incandescents
some effect yes fragile high (85 btu's/hr) some some none 40+

LED Return of Investment Calculator

Due to the widespread application of LED technology in a lot of lighting discipline, many clients are satisfied by what that technology gives them. As known information, purchasing the LED lighting system will cost much as compared to the traditional lighting systems being implemented, but that is only at the first cost. Employing the system will definitely mean an investment. Because of adopting all the benefits and advantages of employing LED bulbs, the investment can be returned not in terms of money, but in terms of financial savings. The rate of return of investing in the LED can be computed by using the LED ROI calculator. This

calculator determines the yearly power and energy cost savings and possible lifetime saving once you decided to replace those conventional lighting system to LED. Now to compute the ROI of LED, first one must determine the following important details regarding the bulb to be replaced and the LED. 1. Original Bulb wattage 2. LED replacement bulb wattage 3. Number of bulbs to be replaced 4. Number of Hours of use per day 5. Number of possible days to use 6. Number of possible weeks to use 7. Energy cost per kWh 8. LED replacement bulb life (in hours) 9. Cost of LED replacement bulb (each) 10. Original bulb life (in hours) 11. Possible labor cost in changing original bulb (maintenance) 12. Cost of original bulb 13. Cost to install replacement LED light Those are the needed information in computing the following: 1. Total kilowatts saved 2. Total kilowatt saved per year 3. Total energy cost saving per year 4. Lifetime energy cost savings 5. Total lifetime bulb changing cost savings (maintenance) 6. Total amortized replacement cost savings per year Mathematically, this works by the following formula: 1. To compute for the Total Kilowatts Saved: D = {(a-b)*c}/1000 Where: D= total Kilowatts saved (kW) a = original bulb wattage (W) b = LED replacement bulb wattage (W) c = # of bulbs to be replaced 2. To compute for the Total kilo watt hour saved per year: H = D*e*f*g Where: H= Total kWh saved per year (kWh/yr) D = total kilowatts saved e = total number of hours use per day (hr/day) f = total number of days per week (day/week) g = total number of weeks per year (weeks/year); 52 weeks max per year 3. To compute for the total energy cost savings per year: J = H*i Where: J = total energy cost savings per year ($) H = total kWh saved per year (kWh/yr) i = energy cost per kWh ($)

4. To compute for the lifetime energy cost savings: M = (k/l)*J Where: M = Lifetime Energy Cost Savings k = LED Replacement bulb life (hrs) l = total number of hours used per year (hr/yr) J = total energy cost savings per year ($) *** To compute the simple payback on energy consumption: O = (n*c)/J Where: O = Simple payback on energy consumption (yr) n = price of each LED replacement bulb c = # of bulbs to be replaced J = total energy cost savings per year ($) ***To compute for the ROI P = 100 / O Where: P = ROI (%) O = Simple payback on energy consumption (yr) 5. To compute for the cost savings from upgrading to LED; Total lifetime changing cost savings Q = {(k/r)*(s+t)*c}-u Where: Q = total lifetime changing cost savings ($) k = LED Replacement bulb life (hrs) r = original bulb life (hrs) s = labor cost in changing the original bulbs t = cost of original bulb c = # of bulbs to be replaced u = cost to install LED replacement 6. To compute the total amortized replacement cost savings per year: V = Q/w Where: V = Total amortized replacement cost savings per year ($) Q = total lifetime changing cost savings ($) w = (k/l) (yr) *** To compute the simple payback on energy consumption plus replacement costs: X = n/V Where: X = simple payback on energy consumption plus replacement costs (yr) n = price of each LED replacement bulb ($) V = Total amortized replacement cost savings per year ($/yr) *** To compute the ROI: Y = 100/X Where: Y = ROI (%) X = simple payback on energy consumption plus replacement costs (yr) Those are the things that can be computed by the LED ROI calculator given all the necessary details in replacing the traditional bulbs by LED lights.