GE Ends Development of Incandescent Bulbs, Focuses on LEDs
It was February of 2007 that GE announced a high efficiency incandescent (HEI) bulb that was comparable to that of compact fluorescents (CFL). The HEI bulb provided better light quality and without any nasty mercury. The bulb was expected to hit the market sometime in 2010.
But announcements of Australia, Canada, and even some U.S. states planning to ban the bulb made companies like GE and Philips question their longevity. Especially when these bans would start as early as 2012.
So in October of 2007, GE announced it would be closing plants and even cutting hundreds of jobs in order to restructure its light bulb business. Harvard business school professor Daniel Snow claims that GE’s HEI was the company’s “last gasp” of inspiration on the Edison bulb.
GE spokesman David Schuellerman said this about GE’s current plans:
GE Consumers & Industrial and GE Global Research have suspended the development of the high-efficiency incandescent lamp (HEI) to place greater focus and investment on what we believe will be the ultimate in energy efficient lighting — light emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Research and development of these technologies is moving at an impressive pace and will be ready for general lighting in the near future. LEDs and OLEDs used in general lighting are now poised to surpass the projected efficiency levels of HEI, along with other energy-efficient technologies like fluorescent, and have the additional benefits of long life and durability.
I was actually looking forward to the HEI bulb - I love CFL efficiency but the sterile light gives me seizures. Hopefully LED lighting can mimic that of incandescents. If not, you might catch me joining forces with that crazy Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann.
Photo: © Jonoman1 | Dreamstime.com
This represents a pretty dramatic shift in technology, and indicates that corporate America is moving more rapidly toward greener solutions.
[...] Read more of this story » Written by admin in: Alternative Energy | [...]
I’m really sick of CFL’s ! Replaced the globes in my house with them, and now they have “sterile” light, they flicker, and several of them have burnt out. I’m going back to normal globes.
[...] Read more of this story » [...]
If you ever toured GE’s Monterrey Mexico plant where they make incandescent light bulbs, you would understand why they are on their way out as a technology…!!!
If you can see a fluorescent bulb flickering, you have superhuman vision. Considering that humans can’t even detect the 24 pulses per second of a movie reel, I find it strange that so many claim to be able to detect the 10,000+ per second pulses of an electronic fluorescent light. The “sterile” color actually duplicates the 2700K color of incandescents rather well. Unless you claim as part of your superhuman vision the ability to detect slight differences in emission spectra, then you have no legs to stand on.
This is a fantastic move by GE! These bulbs are more energy efficient than the CFLs and WAY more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Remember, over 30% of energy use in the USA goes to generating light!
Also, as Chris said, those CFLs are absolutely horrible for your eyes and will lead to so many adverse health effects I can’t even imagine. LEDs can put out enough light to keep your eyes healthy AND you electric bill down.
re: Bob
I wasn’t going to say anything but yes, yes I do have superhuman vision. It matches my cape and tights quite nicely.
Sure, wearing my undies on the outside is a little strange but if Batman can do it, so can I!
Actually, there is a very noticeable difference between CFLs and traditional bulbs. The light is extremely sterile, where incandescents are warm. I have yet to meet someone who cannot distinguish between the two.
There is also a flicker. I can see it. No supervision required - though the tights are still fun to wear!
@Chris: You got the wrong ones…they have ones now that mimic the normal look and color of the old style light bulbs. And they do not flicker, at least for me. The only thing you should notice is that there is a 1 - 2 second lag after you turn the light switch before the light actually comes on. Oh, and it’ll last longer.
There have been “warm-toned” CFL lamps for years now… No need to get those cold-white lamps no one appreciates.
Leds go even further, as you can potentially have any color you want.