A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) is a type of fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent bulb. Like other energy-efficient products, high quality CFLs bear the Energy Star symbol, demonstrating to consumers they are among the most energy-efficient on the market.
Energy Star-approved CFLs, such as those produced by Greenlite, must meet numerous requirements that include:
- using at least two-thirds less energy than standard incandescents while providing the same amount of light
- lasting 3 times longer than incandescents
- saving $25 or more in energy costs over a bulb’s lifetime
- generating less heat than incandescent bulbs
Regular incandescent bulbs waste energy: 90% of their energy is used to produce heat, not light. CFLs save energy and help lower electricity costs because they use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, thereby requiring only one-quarter of the energy consumed by incandescents. For example, this 15-watt CFL produces the same light as a 50-watt incandescent bulb, saving about 35 watts each hour it is lit.