Light Control Education

Compact Fluorescents

Screw-in compact fluorescents (CFLs) are a great energy-saving alternative to incandescent and halogen light bulbs. And more consumers are choosing to use CFLs, with the market share having grown to 26.7%, according to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

Because incandescents use so much energy, incandescents with certain wattages are going to be phased out beginning in 2012 (see the chart below) as a result of new efficiency requirements.

So over the next 10 years, CFLs and LEDs will take over the marketplace because of the outstanding energy efficiency they offer. However, these bulbs don’t perform well when paired with a standard dimmer. Lutron now offers a dimmer designed specifically for use with dimmable CFLs—which also works with LEDs.

Learn more about dimming CFL bulbs



* “CFL Lamp Index Gives Back Prior Gains for Second Quarter 2010.” NEMA.
† Navigant Consulting. Lighting market characterization. Technical report, U.S. Department of Energy, Sep. 2002. Tables 5-4, 5-6, and A-1.
Related Resources How to calculate wattage when mixing lamp types
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