SCE wishes you a safe and happy holiday season. And for your holiday lighting needs SCE recommends energy-efficient light emitting diode (LED) instead of regular incandescent lights.

Based on studies by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), here are some facts to help you choose LEDs:

Efficient
LEDs save up to 98 percent of the electricity that is needed to power conventional painted or ceramic coated bulbs.

Environmentally Safe
The low electricity use of LEDs means less carbon emissions, and manufacturing LEDs is more environmentally friendly as well. They require no glass or tungsten becuase LEDs do not have a filament like incandescent bulbs. Electron movement in semiconductor chips causes illumination.

Durable
LEDs are encased in hard-to-break plastic versus the more fragile glass of incandescent lights. Because the LED is electronic, it lasts up to 10 years.

Practical
LEDs come in standard packaging of 25- to 100-bulb strands that can be connected together to provide a seamless string. The long life of LEDs means that replacing bulbs will be rare, reducing maintenance.

Safe at Home
LEDs generate much less heat when they operate so they are cool to the touch, and are less likely to overload a circuit.

Attractive features and colors
LEDs come in traditional shapes, sizes, and colors. LED strings with desired features such as blinking and flickering are also available.

For more details on LED lighting, please read the EPRI fact sheet.