Why use compact fluorescent light bulbs? Compact fluorescent light bulbs require approximately one-fourth to one-third of the electricity needed by an incandescent light bulb to produce the same amount of light. Using less electricity will result in lower electricity costs and reduce the environmental impact associated with the production of electricity.

The compact fluorescent light bulbs in this section all have color temperatures of 5,000 degrees Kelvin or higher, which means they will deliver a very white light. Most light bulbs have color temperatures from 2,700 to 3,000 degrees Kelvin, which tend to be characterized as "warm white" bulbs. Note that these bulbs are not "full spectrum". For more information about "full spectrum" lights we recommend the article, "Full Spectrum Light Sources", by Marc Rea, Deng Long, and Robert Wolsey, available on RPI's Lighting Research Center's National Lighting Information Program site.