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The History and Future of Fluorescent Lighting

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UC Davis Energy Efficiency Center

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The History of CFLs: Ornate Art to Efficient Light Source

02 min 59 sec

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Michael Siminovitch, director of the California Lighting Technology Center, maps the history of fluorescent lighting.

In its original use as an art form, fluorescents were "quite beautiful, quite ornate and they were decoration light sources."
What’s Stifling Widespread Adoption of CFLs?

04 min 10 sec

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Michael Siminovitch, director of the California Lighting Technology Center, describes several of the issues hindering widespread adoption of compact fluorescent lamps.

"Government agencies and utilities look at cost and efficacy...we should be looking at amenity and quality," he says.
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54 min 54 sec

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There are 8 comments on this program

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Previous FORAtv comments:

Ricklight

Posted: 08.28.10, 12:24 PM

There are current incandescent lamps that meet the 2014 standards! There are now LED lamps that are starting to be practical. I won't run out and change out my house today, because they are still improving radically. - and interstate commerce is certainly the constitutional basis. One could invoke security as well, seeing as how we are fighting energy driven wars.

Mark Sullivan

Posted: 03.31.10, 09:47 PM

The mandated use of CFL bulbs is yet another meaningless, possibly harmful, nanny state intrusion into our homes and an infringement of our freedom. 2012 is coming soon and we will be forced to abandon the incandescent bulb, one of the greatest inventions in human history, and for what? So politicians can pay back the "environmental" lobby, whose primary goal is self-congratulation. Think about this - the United States Congress spent time debating and legislating which lightbulbs we will use. I would love to hear the Constitutional support for this tyranny.

OAKside

Posted: 08.07.09, 01:17 PM

I was excited about CFL's at first... now, not so much. They were much more expensive (3-10x) than the incandescent bulbs AND died surprisingly fast. (Despite advertisements claiming up to 10 years, mine averaged 1-2.) To top it all off, the total energy savings was unnoticeable. Perhaps next time, with higher-quality bulbs and a few tweaks (longer on/off cycles, etc.) they'll fare better for me. "The life of a CFL is significantly shorter if it is only turned on for a few minutes at a time: In the case of a 5-minute on/off cycle the lifespan of a CFL can be up to 85% shorter, reducing its lifespan to close to that of incandescent light bulbs."

greenlaserboy

Posted: 08.01.09, 11:32 AM

Every CLF I have seems to burn out in less than a year. Sometimes they smell like electronic parts burning, because they ARE. I hate these things give me old fashioned lights any day. I would try LED's but they are still to expensive.

Rdallas1

Posted: 06.25.09, 10:40 AM

According to gelighting.com, the mercury isn't released when your using them as long as they are used properly, so you just have to be really careful when you replace them. Try not to drop or break them. Always take them out or put them in by the base not by the glass tubing. Here is an article on how to properly dispose of them: http://www.gelighting.com/na/home_li...t.htm#disposal

SPFLDtv

Posted: 06.24.09, 10:29 PM

My fluorescent lights don't appear to last much longer than my other lights, plus they contain Mercury. How do you dispose of them properly?

Rdallas1

Posted: 06.24.09, 10:06 AM

I recently put one in almost every light in my home and I definitely prefer them, much brighter than the bulbs I used before. One of my friends said it lowered the cost of her electricity bill, I am waiting to see if I have the same turn out...Very interesting video!

back_ache

Posted: 06.24.09, 02:45 AM

If you're a lighting geek like me, the history is somewhat interesting however I would have liked to have seen some more impacting ideas presented or even just some "call to arms" to the lighting industry to raise their games and answer the consumers needs they have identified.