215.355.7200
Is it worth it to switch to LED lights? One reason people may be reluctant to switch to LED lighting is that older technology seems cheaper. The reality is that they are quite a bit more expensive in the long run. Compare the cost, replacement cost, and energy use of a fluorescent tube with its LED replacement:
| Fluorescent 40W Tube | LED 18W Tube | |
| Cost of light | $2.99 | $9.99 |
| Lumens (light output) | 2,325 | 2,600 |
| Estimated lifespan | 20,000 hours | 50,000 hours |
| Electricity used over 50,000 hours |
2000 KWh | 900 KWh |
| Cost of electricity (at $0.10 per KWh) |
$200 | $90 |
| Tubes needed for 50,000 hours of use |
2.5 | 1 |
| Total cost for 50,000 hours of tubes | $7.48 | $9.99 |
| Cost for 50,000 hours of light (tubes + electricity) | $207.48 | $99.99 |
| SAVINGS PER TUBE | $97.49 |
If you have a hundred of these tubes in your facility, you would save nearly $10,000 with LED, despite the higher initial cost of the lamps.
Another matter for consideration is the failure rate. We all know it's a matter of time before any light goes out. Lights used in commercial and industrial applications have more operating hours than residential lamps. It's not uncommon for every light in a facility to be replaced at least once over a two year period (and often more frequently than that). With LED technology, many lights are capable of operating 24/7 for over five years. Your maintenance crew will spend less time up on scaffolding replacing hard-to-access lamps (and your customers will see fewer "burned out" bulbs in your shop or office).
Use our energy savings calculator find out how much YOU would save by converting to LED.
