Just about every publication in the media touts the benefits and energy efficiency of the compact fluorescent light. While many articles hype the green-friendly advantages, few actually calculate the compact fluorescent bulbs wattage or watt conversion of an incandescent bulb to a CFL. 

These facts and calculations gleaned from the ENERGY STAR site and other compact fluorescent bulb resources shed light on the compact fluorescent bulbs wattage:

• An incandescent light bulb emits 1000 hours of light versus the 10,000 hours that the compact fluorescent light bulb provides.
• One 23-watt compact fluorescent light bulb has the luminosity of 100-watt incandescent bulbs
• Sources at How Stuff Works says that by replacing one single 60-watt bulb with a 13-compact fluorescent bulb, a household can save $30 in energy bills.

Refer to these compact fluorescent bulbs wattage – conversions to replace a CFL with a standard bulb

Compact Fluorescent bulbs wattage Conversions for Standard Bulbs           

10w       =       40w           

13w-15w  =    60w

20w  =            75w

26w-29w  =    100w

38w-42w =     150w

55w    =           250w-300w

• A 23 watt compact fluorescent light bulb outshines and conserves 80 percent more electricity or watts than an average of 100-watt incandescent light bulb.

• The University of Wisconsin Energy Education Program says that the compact fluorescent bulbs wattage of a single 23-watt CFL compact fluorescent bulb conserves 550kWH versus a 75-watt incandescent bulb.

A compact fluorescent bulb’s vibrancy or luminosity is measured in terms of lumens.

• In the color spectrum for compact fluorescent light bulbs, the term “warm” refers to the bulb’s color temperature, which ranges between 2700 and 3000 watts.

• The compact fluorescent bulbs wattage for 9 to 13 watt compact fluorescent bulbs is equivalent to a 40-wattt incandescent bulb, emitting 450 lumens.

• Although the initial cost of a 13-watt compact fluorescent ($3.77)  is more expensive than an incandescent bulb (60-watts), GE Energy Smart™, the savings is recouped in replacement and energy costs—an approximated $34 savings value.