How Much Energy Does LED Lighting Consume After 30,000 Hours of Use?
When we talk about LED bulbs, one of their great advantages is their durability. But have you ever wondered how much electricity an LED bulb consumes after 30,000 hours of operation?
A 10 W LED bulb, after 30,000 hours of use, will have consumed about 300 kWh, which roughly equals €60 in electricity costs (calculated with an average price of €0.20/kWh). And if you use lower power bulbs, the consumption is even less.
Below, we explain how to calculate this and provide a table with examples according to the bulb's power.
How is consumption calculated?
To find out how much energy an LED bulb has consumed over its lifespan, we use a very simple formula:
Consumption (kWh) = Power (W) × Hours of use / 1000
Example with a 10 W bulb:
- 10 W × 30,000 h = 300,000 Wh
- 300,000 Wh / 1000 = 300 kWh
Summary table: consumption after 30,000 hours according to power
| LED Power | Total Consumption (30,000h) | Approximate Cost (€ / kWh at €0.20) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 W | 150 kWh | €30 |
| 7 W | 210 kWh | €42 |
| 10 W | 300 kWh | €60 |
| 15 W | 450 kWh | €90 |
| 20 W | 600 kWh | €120 |
How does this compare with other technologies?
Halogen or incandescent bulbs consume much more. With the same brightness, a 50 W halogen bulb would consume:
- 50 W × 30,000 h = 1,500 kWh
- 1,500 kWh × €0.20 = €300 in costs (5 times more than a 10 W LED!)
In short, an LED lamp continues to consume roughly the same amount of energy over its entire lifespan, even when it reaches 30,000 hours. Its consumption does not increase over time, although its brightness may slightly decrease before replacement is needed.
And 30,000 hours is a lot of time: if you use it 8 hours a day, that’s almost 10 years. Moreover, most people won’t have it on all the time, so the lifespan can be even longer.
After all that time, an LED bulb will have consumed between 150 and 600 kWh, depending on its power. This translates to a very low energy cost compared to other lighting technologies. Additionally, thanks to its efficiency, it will have provided quality light during that time with noticeable savings on your electricity bill.