Do Energy Saving Light Bulbs Really Save Energy?

Yes, they do. Energy saving light bulbs come in two shapes – the spiral form ones and the newer ones that are shaped just like ordinary light bulbs. Both come in various sizes and different wattages. The higher wattage ones are brighter and use more energy.

Nevertheless, each energy saving light bulb uses far less energy than the equivalent ordinary lightbulb because it converts more of the electrical energy it gets from the power supply into light energy and less of it into heat energy. This means that an energy saving light bulb can use 11 joules of electricity every second to produce the same amount of light as an ordinary incandescent bulb that uses 60 joules of electricity per second. So, an 11 Watt energy saver bulb is equivalent to a 60 watt ordinary light bulb.

If everyone in the UK replaced one ordinary bulb with an energy saving bulb in their homes, it has been estimated that we could do without the output from two complete power stations every year.

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