New LED Light Bulb Goes On Sale Here

The picture above shows the new light bulb that will go on sale in the United States today. The U.S. government had challenged companies to come up with a bulb that gave out the same amount of warm light as an incandescent bulb, but was much more efficient. This bulb is Philips Electronics (from the Netherlands) answer to the challenge.

The one drawback which may inhibit sales is the price. The new bulb will sell for about $60 (although the company says it has arranged for some retailers to get a discount, lowering the price to $20 -- at least for a while). But the bulb may actually be worth the price. It will not only save electricity because it is much more efficient, but it also will last for more than 100,000 hours (about 20 years). The increase in length of service is because the bulb uses LEDs to emit the light instead of a filament (which burns out after a short time).

Will consumers pay $60 for a light bulb that lasts 20 years (about $3 a year)? We're fixing to find out.