I’m sure by now you’ve read some of the political talk circulating the web as a result of a recent article by The Washington Post about the Philips LED bulb that won the L Prize and $10 million.  The contest was meant to spur lighting innovation and make LEDs more affordable, but readers noted the bulb’s unrebated MSRP of $50 and basically flipped out.

Even Energy Secretary Chu commented on the price: “Nobody expects to pay $50 for a light bulb and quite candidly, if you’re filling your house with light bulbs like that, they should be part of your will,” according to Andrew Restuccia of The Hill.

Read more »

Check out this Clamp Lamp by Dana Cannam for manufacturer Pablo.  The woodsy light is made with FSC-certified maple, walnut, or white oak and latches on to your desk with two wooden fingers.  Light is provided with 108 LEDs that output between 700-1200 lumens at 3000 K for a 50,000 hour lifespan.  The light can be adjusted with a hi-low switch and is listed as using a mere 8 watts.  Clamp Lamp is pending Energy Star certification and sells for about $350-400.

Read more »

Dutch-based Lemnis Lighting is hitting the LED scene with a cut-rate, basic light bulb selling for $4.95 — the Pharox 200 Blu.  It uses 5 watts, has a 2700 K color temperature, has a CRI of 85, lasts about 15,000 hours, and outputs 240 lumens.  The bulb could replace 25W incandescents and is suitable for task lights, accent lights, and other ambient illumination.

Read more »

Letting the sun’s rays reach your home’s interior rooms, or down to lower level, is a challenge on any project, and virtually impossible without cutting a large hole in your roof. But now, Solectric offers an electronic skylight that promises the next best thing — interior lighting that is powered by the sun and can be rendered at the same color temperature.

Read more »

Switch Lighting, creator of the only LED that uses liquid cooling technology, is on the cusp of a breakout year in 2012.  The Switch bulb creates the same warm color of an incandescent, yet it’s made with reclaimable or recyclable materials using the Cradle to Cradle methodology.  Inside the bulb is a liquid thermal cooling solution that helps cool the LEDs from all sides, producing more light from less LEDs.  In fact, a Switch bulb lasts about 25 times longer and uses 80% less energy than an incandescent.

Read more »