Just when you started getting comfortable swapping out your incandescent lighting for the energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), an energy-efficienter (yeah, I said it) option emerges.
RTI International recently announced a revolutionary new lighting option that combines nanofiber-based reflectors and photoluminescent nanofibers (PLN) for a lighting device option five times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. The solid state lighting alternative would eliminate the gas, mercury and glass from the whole lighting fixture equation, giving this new option the edge over even CFLs.
The above video gets into more detail about how the technology works and how each lighting fixture is made. It’s quite fascinating, though one wonders what the cost will eventually be for an individual light. Life expectancy is another unknown.
Given that lighting accounts for 1/4 of the energy consumed in the United States, advancements like these are naturally welcomed. RTI expects the commercialization of their new lighting devices within three to five years, so in the meantime, you have the green light to continue discontinuing use of incandescent bulbs in your house.
Have you made any energy-saving changes to your home’s lighting?
