By the Numbers: Light switching

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Department of Energy decree marks end of an era amid push for energy efficiency

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

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143 years

The time that has passed since Thomas Edison received a patent on the incandescent lightbulb. That groundbreaking lighting device became illegal to sell in the United States on Aug. 1 under a new Department of Energy rule.

$3 billion

The amount of money the Department of Energy says Americans will save annually on their utility bills once they make the switch to energy-efficient LED bulbs.

19.2%

The share of the standard bulb market represented by halogen bulbs (a type of incandescent) during the first quarter of 2022, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. LEDs constituted 80.1 percent of the market share.

1,200 hours

The lifespan of a modern incandescent lightbulb, according to GE Lighting, well short of the tens of thousands of hours LED bulbs are supposed to provide.

Science & Tech