Rising energy costs don’t mean the end of holiday cheer. In fact, new technology can provide all the dazzle and fun of seasons past, along with greater convenience and lower energy bills – for residences, businesses, and municipalities. LED (Light Emitting Diodes) light strings are safer, easier to use, and cheaper to operate than the old incandescent bulbs – and that’s not all they have to offer.
LEDs have come a long way since they first appeared on displays for calculators in the 1970s. Today they are available in a variety of bulb styles and colors and on strings of up to 240 bulbs – and up to 100 strings can be attached together. Whether shaped like a small globe, a flame-tip, a multi-faceted bulb, a rope, an icicle, or a mini-light, the red, blue, green, orange, white, and now gold LEDs are attracting a lot of attention this holiday season. And some of the newer strings have controllers that permit special effects like color changes. Safe to use both indoors and outdoors, LEDs are cool to the touch and the epoxy lenses are nearly indestructible. They have a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours (indoor) and up to 50,000 hours (outdoor), and most manufacturers guarantee them for 20 years. And, in the unlikely event that a bulb burns out, the remaining bulbs stay lit, making replacement a snap.
And now for the really big benefit: they use about 100 times less energy than the standard (C-7) bulbs and 10 times less than mini-lights. If you assume lighting 500 bulbs for 5 hours a day for 30 days (at 8 cents per kWh), you can expect to spend $24 to light standard C-7 bulbs, $2.40 for mini-lights, and only 24 cents for LEDs! Even though the initial purchase cost of LEDs is a little more than mini-lights, they are still cheaper to operate over time, given not only energy costs but replacement costs, as well. And LEDs provide a significant savings over C-7 bulbs in purchase, energy, and replacement costs – more than four times cheaper, in fact! For even more energy savings, a programmable timer can limit the lighting of the display to selected hours and days.
So, who should consider LED holiday lighting? If you are a homeowner who is considering adding to your seasonal display or replacing broken or malfunctioning light strings, LEDs may be just what you are looking for. A business that is looking to attract attention, as well as make a wise financial investment, should investigate LED lights. And municipalities who want to take the lead in demonstrating energy conservation in a very visible way should consider phasing LEDs into their operations budget. Switching to LED holiday lighting will lessen energy demand (and costs), reduce the number of broken light strings in the landfills, and limit maintenance expenses and hassles. Oh, and they look great, too!
For more information, go to the Energy Info Center link at the Minnesota Department of Commerce website: www.commerce.state.mn.us or call 800-657-3710 or Twin Cities, 651-296-5175.
