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I spend one evening each week chatting with the Japanese manager of Panasonic's Lighting division. I have some info on what will be coming out soon for the home market.
Right now in Japan, it is common to see energy efficient light bulbs being sold in all the stores. These are screw-base 'florescent-that-look-like-incandescents, ' cost about 10 times as much as ordinary incandescent bulbs, last 15 times longer, and use about 1/10 the energy to operate. Much more eco-friendly, and available all over Asia. I don't know if these are sold in Europe. They look a bit like a coiled up white worm with a screw base. I don't much care for the light they produce.
But... in about 6 months Panasonic will introduce LED strip lighting, looking like regular tubular florescents but using a series of LED modules to produce light. These will use even less energy and put out more light, last much longer, but cost significantly more to purchase. Plus, in order to use the newer systems, people will have to purchase new fixtures to run them.
There is no doubt that old Tom Edison put in some long hours experimenting to develop his light bulb. In fact, of the many substances he tried for filaments, one of them, bamboo, came from a bamboo grove not far from my house! (There is a big stone and copper memorial to Edison there.) But I think his incandescent bulb is going to join the 8-track tape player, Betamax videos, and telephones with cords.
The times they are a'changin...
Stitchawl
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