The latest generation of Philips’ 60 watt A-19 LED bulb uses 10 percent less energy than its 12.5 watt predecessor while increasing brightness by nearly 5 percent, the company says.
The lamp — which uses 11 watts of power while putting out more than 839 lumens — has a new design using Philips AirFlux technology, an airflow cooling system that the company says eliminates the traditional distracting heat sink fins needed for thermal management of LED bulbs.
Designed to exceed Energy Star specifications, the bulb will reduce energy consumption by 85 percent, last 25 times longer and save an estimated $134 in electricity costs during its lifespan, as compared to the traditional 60-watt incandescent, Philips says. This LED bulb will also offer consumers two different color temperatures: soft white and daylight.
The Philips A-19 LED bulb also has enhanced dimming capabilities, dimming down to 2 percent of power, while working with a broader range of dimmers.
For business users, particularly in the hospitality sector, Philips says the new lamp provides instant plug-in savings, through reduced energy and maintenance costs, in comparison with traditional bulbs.
The bulb, unveiled at two Manhattan Home Depot stores this week, will be available across the US in 2013.
Earlier this week, the US Department of Energy announced it is making up to $11 million in new funding available to support research, development, and commercialization of solid-state lighting manufacturing technologies, and will select up to six projects to accelerate the development of LED and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) products that can reduce energy costs for residences and businesses.
Also this week, iLumi Solutions announced it will begin, in spring 2013, to offer a series of Bluetooth-enabled LED light bulbs, which are controlled wirelessly from a mobile app for iOS and Android.
In late November, Sheetz retail gasoline/convenience stores said some 130 locations have installed LED lighting by Cree, which is delivering a 45 percent reduction in energy costs for interior lighting and a 50-55 percent reduction in exterior lighting compared to the lighting it replaced.