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Coal in CFLs
Here is some valuable information about the impact a single CFL light bulb can have on the environment - based on the Coal required to create the electricity to power a traditional bulb vs. a CFL.
One Bulb Burning Around the Clock for 1 Year. |
|
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Coal: |
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| 1 100-Watt Light Bulb Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kW x |
Hours = | kWh |
|||||||
0.1 |
8,760 | 876 |
kWh | ||||||
| 1 23-Watt CFL Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kW x |
Hours = | kWh |
|||||||
0.023 |
8,760 | 201 |
kWh | ||||||
| The thermal energy content of coal is | 6,150 | kWh/ton |
|||||||
40% |
of the thermal energy in coal is converted to electricity | ||||||||
40% |
x |
6,150 |
= |
2,460 |
kWh/ton of coal burned | ||||
| 1 100-Watt Light Bulb Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kWh |
kWh/ton |
||||||||
876 |
/ |
2,460 |
= |
0.3561 |
tons | = | 712 |
pounds of coal burned per year | |
| 1 23-Watt CFL Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kWh |
kWh/ton |
||||||||
201.5 |
/ |
2,460 |
= |
0.0819 |
tons | = | (164 |
pounds of coal burned per year) | |
| = | 548 |
pounds of coal saved per year | |||||||
Emissions |
Total for Power Plant (Tons) |
One 100-Watt Incandescent Bulb-Year's
Worth (Pounds) |
One 23-Watt CFL-Year's Worth (Pounds) |
One 23-Watt CFL for 1 year saves (Pounds) |
Sulfur Dioxide - Main cause of acid rain |
10,000 |
5 |
1.2 |
3.9 |
Nitrogen Oxides - Cause smog and acid rain |
10,200 |
5.1 |
1.2 |
3.9 |
Carbon Dioxide - Greenhouse gas suspected of causing global warming |
3,700,000 |
1,852 |
426 |
1,426 |
One Bulb Burning Around the Clock for 1 Year. |
|
||||||||
Coal: |
|||||||||
| 1 100-Watt Light Bulb Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kW x |
Hours = | kWh |
|||||||
0.1 |
8,760 | 876 |
kWh | ||||||
| 1 23-Watt CFL Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kW x |
Hours = | kWh |
|||||||
0.023 |
8,760 | 201 |
kWh | ||||||
| The thermal energy content of coal is | 6,150 | kWh/ton |
|||||||
40% |
of the thermal energy in coal is converted to electricity | ||||||||
40% |
x |
6,150 |
= |
2,460 |
kWh/ton of coal burned | ||||
| 1 100-Watt Light Bulb Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kWh |
kWh/ton |
||||||||
876 |
/ |
2,460 |
= |
0.3561 |
tons | = | 712 |
pounds of coal burned per year | |
| 1 23-Watt CFL Burning for One Year | |||||||||
kWh |
kWh/ton |
||||||||
201.5 |
/ |
2,460 |
= |
0.0819 |
tons | = | (164 |
pounds of coal burned per year) | |
| = | 548 |
pounds of coal saved per year | |||||||
Emissions |
Total for Power Plant (Tons) |
One 100-Watt Incandescent Bulb-Year's
Worth (Pounds) |
One 23-Watt CFL-Year's Worth (Pounds) |
One 23-Watt CFL for 1 year saves (Pounds) |
Sulfur Dioxide - Main cause of acid rain |
10,000 |
5 |
1.2 |
3.9 |
Nitrogen Oxides - Cause smog and acid rain |
10,200 |
5.1 |
1.2 |
3.9 |
Carbon Dioxide - Greenhouse gas suspected of causing global warming |
3,700,000 |
1,852 |
426 |
1,426 |