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Which LED bulb is the best, most efficient replacement for my old light bulb? LEDguide.com is combining its knowledge of LED lighting, search engines and usability to introduce a LED light bulb comparison site.
LED bulbs often overrated
Independent research by the Dutch Metrology Institute has revealed that many LED bulbs do not meet the claims. After measuring the actual light output of the LED lamps, and their supposedly equivalent incandescent counterpart, it was found that the output of the LEDs was overrated. A quote from their report:
The light output in actual fact is only approximately 25% of that of the equivalent incandescent lamp identified on the packaging.
Such exaggerated performance of LED light bulbs will lead to unsatisfied customers, and will eventually harm the reputation of solid-state lighting.
LED bulb measurement with integrating sphere
The solution LED guide offers is an objective comparison of both price and efficiency of LED bulbs. The website calculates how much the new bulb will save over a period of 5 years, including write-off. With this information, people can find a replacement that has a good performance and will save the most in the long term.
“When shopping for LED bulbs, consumers tend to look at the price tag, assuming that the efficiency is equal for all bulbs.” said Paul Vranken, founder of LEDguide.com. “By helping people make educated decisions, we believe LED guide will aid in reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.” Vranken said.
U.S. better prepared for incandescent phase-out
The idea for LED guide started in The Netherlands, where the incandescent phase-out started in September 2009 with the ban of the 100W light bulb. Though for the U.S. the efficiency standards will start in January 2012, they seem to be ahead of the EU in some aspects. Co-founder Koen Peters: “The U.S. already have a test procedure for LED-light products, including an online database with measurements of LED bulbs and fixtures. In The Netherlands the phase-out already started, but we don’t have a standard yet.”
US Incandescent Light Bulb Phase-out to start in Jan 2012
The comparison service focuses on LED retrofits for the most common light sources, including incandescent bulbs, halogen spots and fluorescent tubes. People that are interested in environmental news can visit the blog about LED light and other sustainable products & services.
