Compact fluorescent lamps use less electricity and last longer (when burned for at least three hours each start) than common incandescent lamps. Since their commercial debut in 1981 CFLs have gradually become less expensive, but they remain more costly than incandescents. Various government and utility programs promoting greater use of CFLs have been instrumental in aiding the introduction of this technology into society. Some utilities have scaled back such programs due to the uncertainty of electric power deregulation, but government programs continue.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is engaged in one such program. According to the Lab, “To stimulate the market for [subcompact fluorescent lamps] suppliers are selling the lamps at specially arranged prices directly to volume buyers such as multi-family building owners/operators, universities, public housing authorities, hotel/motel companies, federal agencies, and lighting product resellers.”

In addition to the package of information sheets (seen at center in the image) four sample lamps were also sent. Three are spiral lamps, shaped so as to approximate the optical characteristics of incandescent lamps. The fourth (at upper left in the image) features a tube with four U-bends, a design that is somewhat easier to manufacture.

Remember–if you have important documents, photographs, objects, or other historical materials that show aspects of how electric lighting of the past 30 years has been conveyed to society, you can describe them on the “Collecting History from Conveyors” form. Such materials will help us better understand how events and trends of the recent past have influenced the history of this important technology. And with your help we can build a more complete collection to pass on to future generations.

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© 2001 Smithsonian Institution
Last Updated: January 2001