Four the twelfth year in a row, Philips Lighting is providing the lighting technology for the Times Square New Years Eve ball. And for the first year, to help usher in the new era of more efficient lighting choices (since the incandescent light bulb is going to be going the way of the dodo bird), the ball will be completely lit with the newest Philips technology, the AmbientLED.
The AmbientLED is the first LED on the market to effectively replace the 60 watt incandescent bulb. The AmbientLED can save up to 80% of energy costs associated with lighting.
The Times Square ball is lit with 32,296 individual lights, and because of the increased efficiency of the LED bulbs, can now be lit year round instead of just for a few hours on New Year’s eve. When the ball drops tomorrow night, Philips Lighting will put another feather in their cap regarding efficient lighting.
AmbientLED lighting from Philips has seen price drops of late; bulbs that originally cost closer to $100 can now be bought for under $25. Yes, it’s a lot of money for a light bulb, but with its long life and low energy usage, it could pay for itself within a year or two. The AmbientLED is estimated to last as much as 25 times longer than a regular incandescent bulb.
Happy New Year!