I received notice that I might qualify for free CFL light bulbs from Duke Energy. While on the website I looked at FAQs and found this interesting note: "The Energy Efficiency Programs are funded through a small monthly charge on customer's bills. Since we are unable to raise the Greenwood rate, these customers will not be eligible to participate." So it seems that Big Brother (the State in this case) charges everyone a little bit so they can dispense "free" CFLs. Nanny-Staters will have no problem with this.
Duke energy . . . . Cali "deregulated" their power. Forced "monopoly" companies like SDG&E/SCE and PG&E to sell powerplants. Duke bought many. Shut them down. This did two things. Created "shortages" in Cali and because the major companies were unable to produce power when demands peaked, they charged ridiculas rates for the power to the "big three" or "bad guys" Being STILL regulated, the three were refused permission to raise rates. They could not sell power to the consumer for as much as they paid for it. Results, HIGHER RATES, in the long run, two of the 3 companies filed bankruptsy protection. Cali decided to re regulate. I would bet my bottom dollar that BUSH . . I mean DUKE energy was not the good guy but that's just a hunch.
In my experience, CFLs aren't any more cost effective than standard incandescent bulbs. In my bathroom and kitchen, I replace CFLs almost as frequently as I did incandescent bulbs, but they are typically 5 to 10 times the price.
On the other hand, I HATE "warm white" incandescent. It doesn't look warm; it looks dingy and dirty. I switched to "Daylight" CFLs instead.
I hate that LEDs took so long to come on the market, and the ones that did are "warm white".
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We work together every damn day. --Jon Stewart
In my experience, CFLs aren't any more cost effective than standard incandescent bulbs. In my bathroom and kitchen, I replace CFLs almost as frequently as I did incandescent bulbs, but they are typically 5 to 10 times the price.
On the other hand, I HATE "warm white" incandescent. It doesn't look warm; it looks dingy and dirty. I switched to "Daylight" CFLs instead.
I hate that LEDs took so long to come on the market, and the ones that did are "warm white".
I went with the cfl's way back when I went off the grid, (1999), and I just replaced the last of those that I had put all through the hse. But now, they don't seem to last any longer at all. They've changed them. I've replced three newer ones since.
either that or an excuse to raise rates, I would bet that the raised rates will be around well after those light bulbs are paid for....
"so it seems" so did you look it up or just assume it was the government ripping you off and not the company (or some mix thereof)
I wrote the utilities commission about the issue, I will post if they reply. I suspect a mixed "rip-off" that seems small but adds up.
Yesterday I had to clean trash out my squirrel-cage blower under the dash of my Prism. I used an LED work light and it was extremely hard to determine if a screw head was Phillips, torx or straight. My wife says she can't thread a needle with CFL light.
I wrote the utilities commission about the issue, I will post if they reply. I suspect a mixed "rip-off" that seems small but adds up.
Yesterday I had to clean trash out my squirrel-cage blower under the dash of my Prism. I used an LED work light and it was extremely hard to determine if a screw head was Phillips, torx or straight. My wife says she can't thread a needle with CFL light.
Not all LEDs are the same. Most work lights use bare LEDs. Running on AC, they flicker at 60Hz, which can make them hard on the eyes. I've got LED holiday lights - if you glance away from them, you can see the flicker in the form of a dotted streak instead of a blur.
LEDs also have a different light spectrum. Incandescent bulbs and CFLs produce light at many wavelengths, which we see as white. If you shine an incandescent bulb or CFL through a prism, you'll see an entire rainbow of colors.
LEDs produce light in a very narrow band. Bulb designers use the three colors that our eyes are most sensitive to: red, green, and blue. If you shine a white LED through a prism, you'll see three bright narrow bands at red, green, and blue, but only faint hints of any other color.
I have some under-cabinet lights in my kitchen, each individual LED has a phosphorescent dot on top of it. When you shut off the lights, this dot continues to glow, faintly, for a few moments. The purpose of the dot is to reduce the flicker, and to broaden the spectrum of the light.
The quality of light from CFLs has increased quite a bit since they were first broadly marketed. I could notice the flicker on the early bulbs, and on fluorescent tubes (and on CRT monitors at 60Hz; I always had to up them to 72Hz to avoid headaches). I can't see it on new bulbs. I notice it on cheap LEDs running on AC, but good LED assemblies are pretty quiet.
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We work together every damn day. --Jon Stewart
Mine is a battery operated B&D LED work light but it's not the latest edition. I think the main problem with it is the LEDs are on 3/8th or so centers. When I have serious work to do I use my incandescent work light that came with my cordless Panasonic drill kit. This time it wasn't charged.
I too can see the flicker of fluorescent lights at the periphery of my vision.
House Republicans fail to save 30-cent light bulbs from extinction
A House bill to roll back energy-efficiency standards that would phase out cheap but inefficient incandescent light bulbs by next year fell short of the supermajority it needed to pass Tuesday.
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Traditional incandescent bulbs cost about about 30 to 50 cents apiece, while updated incandescent versions cost $1.50. The latter pay for themselves in energy savings in about six months, efficiency advocates say.
In an often fractious Congress, energy efficiency has been a point of agreement ? and repealing the bulb measures was self-defeating, said Rep. Mike Doyle (D) of Pennsylvania. ?In Congress, we don?t always agree on much, but for the last 25 years, we?ve agreed on energy standards,? he said. ?The lighting industry has already begun to be revolutionized."
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I'll believe corporations are persons when Texas executes one.: LBJ's Ghost
Incandescent light bulbs don't waste 95% of the energy they use in my house. I have electric heat so they just help (however miniscule) heat the house. In the summer I hardly need them so there is little AC impact.
I heard from the Utilities Commission:
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Your inquiry was referred to my by our Consumer Services group.
The answer to your question is, yes.
The General Assembly passed a law in 2007 known as Senate Bill 3 (Session Law 2007-397) that allows utility companies to implement energy efficiency and demand side management programs and charge their customers a rider to pay for the costs associated with these programs. Senate Bill 3 also makes provisions for the companies to earn an incentive to encourage them to promote energy efficiency measures. The Utilities Commission promulgated rules to implement Senate Bill 3. You can review those rules at the Commission’s website at NCUC Home Page .
Duke received approval in early 2009 to implement a CFL Distribution measure. Duke has continued to offer these bulbs free of charge to the recipient. All residential customers are paying Duke for the costs of this program, so the essence of “free” comes at a small cost to all customers. The justification for this rests on the premise that if Duke doesn’t have to generate the electricity that otherwise would be used by a less efficient measure, then customers overall save by not having to pay the utility to build for the additional electricity usage.
My message to Duke:
Quote:
I am concerned over the "free" CFL bulbs. First they are made in China, second they reportedly emit phenols, third they contain mercury and fourth the energy savings are exaggerated. Since I have electric heat the CFLs offer zero savings in the heating season (all energy dies a heat death). In the summer I use much less lighting so the AC impact is slight.
My question is just how much is that small portion of my electric bill that is used for these silly "freebies"?
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