Incandescents getting a technology boost

Old and new incandescents

From the NY Times today: Incandescent Bulbs Return to the Cutting Edge.  Here’s a cool statement that could bode well for the state of our economy:

Indeed, the incandescent bulb is turning into a case study of the way government mandates can spur innovation.

“There’s a massive misperception that incandescents are going away quickly,” said Chris Calwell, a researcher with Ecos Consulting who studies the bulb market. “There have been more incandescent innovations in the last three years than in the last two decades.”

With the added government focus on the environment, maybe these new standards could spur innovations AND jobs.

Most of the bulbs in my house are compact fluorescent, but cf’s aren’t good for all uses.  For example, they break down pretty quickly if you put them in fixtures that are enclosed.  They also break down if you put them in lamps that people often turn on and off for short uses, such as bathrooms or closets.  As the article mentions, they aren’t good when used with dimmers.  Plus, they contain mercury.

So even though incandescents are less efficient, it’s good that they’re improving the technology.  We can still use incandescents while technology continues to improve.

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1. Technology and the Blind