LED bulb that lasts 20 years released in the U.S. for $ 60

A bulb that lasts 20 years and costs $ 60 went on sale in the United States this week. The product is manufactured by Philips multinational, which replaced the traditional filament emitting diodes (LEDs).

LED technology increases lamp life but also more expensive merchandise. Philips is offering discounts to some stores to try to popularize the product.

With discounts, special lamp can cost up to $ 20. The manufacturers argue that despite the high cost, the lamp can bring savings in the long run, since it consumes less electricity to operate.

Energy Efficiency

The product won the Bright Tomorrow competition that promoted by the Ministry of Energy of the U.S., aimed at seeking more efficient alternatives to ordinary light bulb of 60 watts with less power consumption.

Philips was the only company that participated in the competition. Their product has undergone 18 months of testing before being deemed the winner. A slightly cheaper but less efficient, LED lamp from Philips is already sold in the United States and Europe.

The main competitor of the LED lamps are fluorescent, which are almost as efficient but cost much less. Governments of many countries are trying to encourage the purchase of energy efficient light bulbs, and to end production of incandescent filaments and high energy consumption.

The 100 watt bulbs are no longer produced in the United States and Europe. The 60 watts are no longer sold in Europe and it being abandoned in the United States. By 2014, the U.S. government wants to ban the production of bulbs of 40 watts.