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We found out the cost of a light bulb per hour and the energy-saving features that you should pay attention to.
Most of us are taught from a young age to turn off the lights when we leave the room, and with rising energy prices, we are more aware than ever of the need to waste energy. But how much electricity does a light bulb actually consume? How does this affect your account?
Energy prices have been on the rise since November 2021 and as the nights and mornings get darker, our lights will soon come on. So, it’s good to know how much it costs to keep the lights on and learn how to save energy in your home by choosing the right lighting options.
Different types of lamps use different wattages, as do different wattages. We’ve figured out how much electricity you can spend per hour on your home’s light bulbs, and we’ve got some smart money-saving ideas.
Many of us associate wattage with the amount of light emitted by a light bulb—for example, a dimmer 25-watt light bulb versus a brighter 60-watt light bulb—but the light bulb’s wattage is actually equal to the amount of electricity it uses. Brightness is measured in lumens.
This is why low-wattage lamps are often referred to as “60W equivalent” – they don’t require equivalent energy, but brightness.
The best way to calculate how much energy a light bulb uses is to convert watts to kilowatts. Thus, a 100 W light bulb requires 0.1 kW per hour.
To calculate the cost of running a particular light bulb, the main thing you need to know is the price of electricity per kilowatt hour. The national average electricity price per kWh is 34p (as of October 2022).
Electricity prices have more than halved since November 2021. Prior to the increase in the energy price ceiling in April and October, the figure was 20p instead of 34p.
“Lighting accounts for 15 percent of the average home’s energy bill,” said Steve Buckley, head of data processing at Loop for Energy Savings (opens in a new tab). “Quality LED fixtures are more expensive than other types of lighting, but it’s a price worth paying.”
Smart bulbs controlled by apps like Hive or Hue open up a whole world of energy saving options. These include the ability to set the lights to turn off at dawn so that they don’t stay on longer than necessary, turn off all the bulbs at once, or turn off a light that has accidentally turned on in another room.
The new lamps are rated from A to G, with A being the most efficient, so you can see the energy efficiency at a glance. The label should also state the energy consumption per 1000 hours of use so you can easily calculate the cost to power each device.
The lower the power, the less electricity the light bulb consumes. Look for energy-saving light bulbs that provide the required brightness (in lumens) at the lowest wattage.
“LED lights can help the average person cut their carbon footprint by as much as 40 kilograms a year — the equivalent of driving a car 40 miles,” said Matt Manning. “The Energy Saving Trust estimates that by switching from 100-watt incandescent to LED, you can save up to £9 per year on 1,100-lumen lamps running for 562 hours.”
While older dimmers didn’t save energy by increasing circuit resistance, which turned into heat instead of energy, modern dimmers work differently. They reduce the flux, which can also extend the life of the lamp.
However, it is worth noting that the savings are rarely linear – for example, dimmable halogen lamps are less efficient. Before installing a dimmer, make sure your lamps are compatible – not all LED and compact fluorescent lamps are compatible.
If you’re always looking for a dimmer, consider switching to a lower wattage light bulb. They consume less power at full power than dimmable high wattage lamps.
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Post time: Oct-21-2022
