LED Light Bulbs & an Energy Consumption Calculator

By Jamie|energy savings calculator, Verde|1 Comment

LED efficiency comparison tool for websites

I recently read an article in the Chicago Tribune that predicts that electricity rates will likely be higher in Illinois in 2013, 2014, and 2015.  It explains how the closing of coal power plants in the city of Chicago, which is terrific for the health of city residents, will also lead to more expensive rates.  
 
Personally, I happen to agree that electricity will get more expensive in the next few years.  While this is bad for our pocketbooks, ultimately it is good for the environment as it will make energy efficiency more important to consumers.  We are in the exciting and unique time where appliance, electronics and lighting are getting more efficient.  Ok, so it may only be an exciting time to an energy guy like me, but efficiency is getting better.
 
A great example of the value of energy efficiency can be found in LED Light Bulbs.  These bulbs are often over 90% more efficient than standard light bulbs that they replace. However, how much do you spend for the electricity on one lightbulb in your house? How can you possibly know if it is worth spending the money on a new bulb, if you don’t know how much money you spend currently?    It is impossible to know if it is worth it to buy a new expensive replacement without the proper information.
 

LED energy efficiency and how to best display the savings

Verde R&D is an energy consumption calculator built from our platform, which fixes this information problem for consumers.  Our app finds your location and energy rate based on where you access the internet – and tells you specifically how much a new product will save you in energy rates.  We are thrilled to partner with John and Kathy Lightfoot (across the pond in the UK) to be our first customer for this product.  We are a Chicago-based startup, so for our local readers, sorry about the £ display!
 

Energy cost and environmental impact savings display

expanded button of the website shows the money and carbon savings of this LED bulb

A great example is this LED light bulbs - which uses 3 watts of power and replaces a 45 watt bulb.  These LED Light bulbs costs $13.25 to purchase new with Free Shipping within the UK. Based on the prices of electricity in Chicago ($.12 per kWh), those LED light bulbs used 6 hours a day for a year would save a consumer $11.03 in our energy consumption calculator, which makes buying the bulb a no-brainer.  If you are a business that is open 300 days a year for 12 hours a day, you can interact with our display to find a new calculation of $18.14.  We made the app easy to use, allowing users to change the inputs to have control over every situation possible.  You can get the picture that energy efficiency measures are often more expensive, and that they savings are unique based on your usage.  If you just have these LED light bulbs in the closet and turn it on 20 seconds a day, it probably is not worth replacing.
 

LED light bulbs UK and carbon savings

We hope that customers of the UK will buy more of these LED light bulbs and reduce their energy usage.  In fact, we have a secret tool on our display to help urge that now is the time to buy LED light bulbs – we show the carbon savings and paint it in terms that everyone can understand, trees.  All big companies claim that they saved 7 bazillion tons (or tonnes from my British friends) of CO2 – but Verde connects you with your personal carbon savings and communicates it with trees, something we all understand.
 
We look forward to revealing a few more partnerships this summer – and best of luck to John and Kathy in the UK.  Please share their site with any British friends that you have, and let them know that they can be making a difference in the environment in a way that impacts all of us.  Oh yeah, and saves them money, too.