LED Holiday Lights Offer Cool Savings

Most people know by now that using energy-efficient lights, such as compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), will produce dramatic energy savings. But you may not realize how much can be saved by decorating with efficient lights for the holidays.

LED holiday lights – sold by most big-box retailers these days – use far less energy than the traditional incandescent holiday bulbs still widely used. According to the Department of Energy, decorating with LED holiday lights in place of traditional lights can cut energy costs for holiday lighting by up to 90%.

But what’s the real-world savings? Here’s a helpful example: Displaying LED lights on a six-foot tree for 12 hours a day over 40 days will amount to 56-cents in total electricity costs, the Energy Department estimates. That compares to $25.13 in total electric costs for stringing large incandescent holiday lights and $6.03 for mini incandescents. (Consider, then, the vast savings potential if decorating a whole house or business. One local Chamber of Commerce in Minnesota expected to save 73% in holiday lighting bills by using LED lights – or more than $3,000 annually.)

The design and variety of LED holiday lights are also quickly improving as more manufacturers see their marketability. You can now find LED lights shaped as colorful mini stars, snowmen and ones identical to traditional large and mini incandescent bulbs. (People with at least a few hours sun exposure outside their home or business may even consider solar holiday lights, which are showing up in stores now, too. Electric costs: Nothing.)

LEDs generally do cost more upfront. A recent quick search on Target.com found that a string of 200 mini white incandescents cost $10.19 on sale, compared with $11.99 for a string of 60 mini white LEDs. But considering the big savings on energy bills, that difference may be recouped in less than one holiday season of use. What’s more, LED lights can last up to 40 holiday seasons. And because they don’t heat up like incandescents, you needn’t worry about a fire hazard.

If you make the switch to LED, you may wonder what to do with your old lights. The Chamber’s Waste Wise program has partnered with the Recycling Association of Minnesota to create a new holiday light recycling program. Go to Recycle Minnesota for more details.

Do you use LEDs holiday lights? What kind of energy savings have you found?