GE Smart LED light bulb promises 17 years of service, nine-watt draw
General Electric has announced a new nine-watt LED light bulb that promises a lifespan of 17 years.
GE says its Smart LED bulb, which replaces a traditional 40-watt incandescent light bulb, will go on sale in late 2010 or early 2011.
The new light bulb represents a 77 percent energy savings over a 40-watt incandescent bulb, and is designed to last some 25,000 hours -- more than 25 times a regular bulb.
GE says it will produce 450 lumens, on par with a traditional bulb.
Better still, it contains no mercury. (Take that, fluorescents!)
A bonus from its power-sipping design? It converts less energy to heat, meaning you won't sear your delicate fingers when it's time to swap one out.
The Smart LED light bulb could cost $40 to $50, but GE hasn't pinned down an exact price.
One deciding factor, however: government intervention. In January 2012, 100-watt incandescent bulbs will be phased out, with their 75-watt counterparts meeting their maker in January 2013.
Forty-watt bulbs will be phased out in January 2014.
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com