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LED bulbs will become the standard
For years, lighting companies have been predicting a time when LED bulbs will become the standard, replacing
not only traditional incandescent lights, but halogen and compact fluorescents as well.
That time has come for one global retailer, Ikea. Beginning Sept. 1, it will sell only LED bulbs, part of its overall
sustainability efforts,the company said Monday. The company had planned a major investment in compact
fluorescent lights, but it redirected it to LEDs.
“Some of these technologies have to be driven faster,” Steve Howard, chief sustainability officer of the Ikea
Group, said of the lighting decision. “People are concerned increasingly about climate change but also about
household energy bills. So how can you try something that doesn’t take 15 years to develop in this space
but takes three or four years?”
Compact fluorescents, which still far outsell LEDs in the United States, were the first big alternative to emerge
to replace standard incandescents, which can no longer meet government standards for energy efficiency in
the United States and abroad. But they often failed to satisfy consumers who complained about the harsh
quality of light of the early models. Compact fluorescents could also be slow to warm up and difficult to dim,
and they contain trace amounts of mercury.
LEDs are more expensive. Just a few years ago, an LED that was meant to replace a standard incandescent
could cost $30. But those who favor them say they offer better light quality. And as prices have steadily
dropped, in part because of government regulations making it easier for more LEDs to qualify for generous
discounts, customers have been migrating toward them. Walmart, have LEDs on the market for less than $5.