Incandescent bulbs create light by passing electricity through a metal filment until it becomes so hot that it glows. Incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat.

In a CFL, an electric current is driven through a tube containing gases. This reaction produces ultraviolet light that gets transformed into visible light by the fluorescent coating (called phosphor) on the inside of the tube. A CFL releases about 80% of its energy as heat.

LED Lighting products use light emitting diodes to produce light very efficiently. The movement of electrons through a semiconductor material illuminates the tiny light sources we call LEDs. A small amount of heat is released backwards, into a heat sink, in a well-designed product; LEDs are basically cool to the touch.

High-Powered LEDs

LEDs used to illuminate an area. R qualified LED lighting uses multiple illuminator LEDs inside a fixture to produce white light.