Leds, Cfls - Total Energy Cost Trump Traditional Filament Bulbs

It is well-known that compact fluorescent bulbs and light-emitting diodes use far less energy to generate an equivalent amount of light in comparison with standard bulbs. But the ultimate question is the total energy usage of a product over its full lifecycle, viz, the energy required to manufacture, operate and finally dispose of it. Looking at this bigger picture, Osram Opto Semiconductor has taken a look at LEDs and CFLs and has published a study reporting on full life-cycle assessment of each of the lights and the bottom line, according to the study, is that filament bulbs require about five times the energy that CFLs and LEDs use.