December 1, 2008

GE Suspends Development Of High-Efficiency Incandescent Bulbs

Tyler Hamilton writes in the Clean Break blog that General Electric has suspended the development of its high-efficiency incandescent (HEI) light bulb.

GE discussed the HEI light bulb in February 2007, touting it as as providing the same high light quality, brightness and color as current incandescent lamps while saving energy and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

In October 2007, the company dimmed the lights on incandescent as part of a restructuring of its lighting business, which impacted jobs and closed plants.

Now, a year later, after GE’s restructuring, Hamilton wrote GE to find out the status of the HEI. GE spokesman David Schuellerman replied that “GE Consumer & Industrial and GE Global Research have suspended the development of the high-efficiency incandescent lamp (HEI) to place greater focus and investment on what we believe will be the ultimate in energy efficient lighting — light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs).”

Schuellerman adds that “LEDs and OLEDs used in general lighting are now poised to surpass the projected efficiency levels of HEI, along with other energy-efficient technologies like fluorescent, and have the additional benefits of long life and durability.”

GE competitor Philips is in high gear to develop efficient light bulbs but is faced with the problem that politicians wants incandescent bulbs phased out faster than the industry can deliver alternatives.

Here’s some more info on LED penetration.

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