Philips LED bulb recognized as one of '09 best inventions

MANILA, Philippines - Philips Electronics announced that its recently revealed LED replacement for the common household bulb was named one of the “best inventions of 2009” by TIME magazine. 

The lamp was Philips’ entry to the US Department of Energy’s Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize (L Prize) competition, the first and only such entry submitted to the Department of Energy to date.

The TIME “best inventions team” included this Philips invention on the list because of the significant technological developments that were achieved to deliver breakthrough product capability previously unseen from an LED light bulb.

Under the heading “The $10 Million Lightbulb,” the editors declared that “with the flick of a switch, Philips Electronics may have just dramatically lowered America’s electric bill,” noting that Philips’ LED bulb “emits the same amount of light as its incandescent equivalent but uses less than 10 watts and lasts for 25,000 hours — or 25 times as long.”

“This is a very exciting time for the lighting industry. We are demonstrating that LED solutions are now viable for mainstream lighting, and we’re thrilled that Philips has been recognized by TIME, given the years of significant investments we have made in LED technology,” said Rico Gonzales, CEO of Philips in the Philippines.

“This lighting breakthrough demonstrates what we can accomplish when previously independent businesses work together, providing consumers with a quality light source while reducing energy consumption,” Gonzales added.

Developed by a global team of experts from Philips’ LED businesses across the United States, the Netherlands and China, this lamp represents an important milestone in consumer LED lighting solutions. 

As part of the L Prize competition, the lamp is currently undergoing comprehensive evaluation, including performance testing conducted by independent laboratories, field assessments conducted with utilities and stress testing under extreme conditions.

“LED is an energy-efficient way of lighting which saves energy consumption and reduces carbon pollution. Customers and consumers are becoming aware of LED benefits. Philips has extended its offering of LED lighting with newly designed LED lamps and luminaires. The positive effects of using LEDs are numerous. The LED lamps will last from 15 to 25 years and they are using a minimum of power which makes LED lamps an energy-efficient way of lighting,” said Gonzales.

In Asia, Philips has a strong leadership position with LED offerings that cover lighting for outdoor, streets, homes, hotels and industries.