October 15, 2003 News Media Release

Austin Energy to distribute energy-efficient light bulbs to seniors as daylight hours grow shorter

With the switch back to Standard Time this weekend and shorter daylight hours, Austin Energy is distributing free energy-efficient light bulbs to senior citizens at 11:30 a.m. Friday, October 24 at the Conley-Guerrero Senior Center, 808 Nile Street, to promote the use of Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs and help the seniors save on their electricity costs.

The energy-efficient, CFL bulbs are up to 70% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer or an average of 6,000 hours. CFLs produce 90% light and only 10% heat making them more efficient than incandescent bulbs that produce 90% heat and only 10% light. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 32-watt CFL, for example, provides the same amount of light but saves a resident up to $30 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb. Lighting can account for up to 10% of a resident’s annual electricity bills.

Using CFLs also reduces the need to generate more electricity at power plants. It is estimated that if every household in Austin changed the lighting in just one room to CFLs, enough electricity would be saved to light more than 86,000 homes for a year.

Austin Energy is partnering with retailers in Austin to offer $2 off point-of-purchase coupons for ENERGY STAR -labeled CFLs through the end of December. The participating retailers are:

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For more information, contact Ed Clark, Public Information.
Phone: (512) 322-6514
Pager: (512) 802-2000