GREENSBORO, N.C. — You know the saying: you're having a lightbulb moment. It's a common description for all of a sudden, getting an idea or understanding something. Unfortunately, the lightbulb is about to be a thing of the past.
In 1879, Thomas Edison perfected the incandescent light bulb. Centuries later, his kind of bulb will be extinct. Manufacturers must stop making incandescent bulbs by January 1, 2023, and by the summer of 2023, they’re gone.
"Stores will be phasing them out, but they will no longer be legally sellable as of July 2023,” said Steven Nadel, Executive Director of The American Council For An Energy-Efficient Economy.
The US Energy Department has finalized rules that will require stores to no longer sell incandescent bulbs as of July 2023. Stores will only sell energy-efficient light bulbs like LED’s, which by the way is not a bulb.
LED stands for light-emitting diode. A diode is a semiconductor wrapped in plastic to protect the elements and focus the light.
The American Council For An Energy-Efficient Economy estimates only 30% of light bulbs sold in the U.S. in 2020 were incandescent bulbs.
LEDs are more expensive but can last up to 50 times longer than an old-school bulb.
Of course, when you're at the cash register buying the more expensive bulb, the fact it's going to last longer doesn't help your wallet right away. This is why 2 Wants To Know went looking for a way to stretch your dollar.
This is one way. Your power company, and for the majority of us it's Duke Energy, offers deals on energy-saving lights.
You can get them on average for $2 off the in-store price.