How LEDs are Affecting the U.S. Economy

When LEDs are mentioned, you may know about their bright white light, long lifespans and energy savings. But have you ever considered the impact of LEDs on the American economy? According to an article on Bloomberg.com, 2007 was the year with the highest per-capita electricity use. There was another spike in 2010 after the recession, but has been in decline every year since. You can find a great graphic demonstrating the energy usage decline here.

LED Energy Usage and the Economy

So, the question is, what is bringing down the United States’ overall energy usage year after year? The most common thought is the uptick in energy efficient appliances and the introduction of LED lighting. While LEDs are more expensive than traditional lighting, their prices, similarly to energy usage, have been steadily dropping over the years. This makes them a highly competitive option for home and business owners.

While it is hard to narrow down all of the causes of the reduced energy usage, Lucas Davis from the University of California at Berkeley stated that the reduction in residential energy usage is largely attributed to LED lighting! According to his blog, over 450 million homes in the United States have installed LED lighting. This number is up from only half a million in 2009. All in all, energy-efficient lighting accounts for about 80 percent of the U.S.’s lighting sales!

Davis goes on to estimate that, according to his numbers, the energy savings so far are around 50 billion kilowatt-hours per year, around 160 kilowatt-hours per capita. Considering LEDs and energy efficient lighting were in less than 30 percent of homes in 2015, we are expected to continue to see energy usage drop as the popularity of LEDs continue to rise!

Find residential and commercial LED lights with Sitler’s!

You can find LED lighting for anywhere in your home, business, warehouse, even barn! Give us a call at (319)-519-0039 or send us an email to get started!

Posted in LED Economic Impacts