EERE Network News - 2/23/08

The sales of Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) nearly doubled last year, according to the estimates of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In 2007, 290 million CFLs were sold, and the energy-saving bulbs now account for about 20% of the light bulb market in the United States. Energy Star-qualified CFLs use approximately 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

The sale of CFLs has been on the rise since 2006, when their market share jumped from 5% to almost 11%. Energy Star retail partners such as Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Costco, Menards, Ace Hardware, and Sam's Club have played an important role in educating consumers about the importance of saving energy and the value of these products. DOE and EPA also worked to promote the sales of CFLs throughout 2007 with their "Change a Light, Change the World" campaign, which encourages people across the United States to sign a pledge to change at least one bulb in their house to an Energy Star-qualified CFL. The campaign has gathered over 1 million pledges so far.

An Energy Star CFL can save about $30 or more in energy costs over the length of its lifetime. If every U.S. household replaced just one light bulb in their homes with a CFL, the United States would save more than $600 million each year in energy costs and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars.