LED lighting and energy efficiency

In short: LED bulbs convert electrical energy into light far more efficiently than classic incandescent or halogen bulbs. They also last considerably longer, offsetting the purchase cost in the long run.

In more detail: LEDs produce light via semiconductor elements that emit photons directly when current flows, rather than wasting energy as heat.

In detail

• Efficiency comparison: LEDs convert a much higher share of energy into light than incandescent bulbs, which release most of it as heat.
• Lifespan: High-quality LED bulbs often last 15,000 to 25,000 hours, many times longer than classic bulbs.
• Colour temperature: Kelvin ratings show whether the light appears warm-yellowish or cool-white, strongly affecting room atmosphere.
• Dimmability: Not all LEDs are dimmable; special dimmable models or dimmers must be matched to each other.
• Light output (lumens): Lumen figures instead of watts help compare the actual brightness of different bulbs.
• Flicker-free operation: High-quality LED drivers avoid flickering that is visible or noticeable to some people.
• Disposal: Unlike energy-saving bulbs, LED bulbs contain no mercury but should still be recycled properly (stromverbrauch-im-haushalt-senken, stromanbieter-wechseln).