From here: "Other illuminating news at the conference centered on a newly developed type of nanocrystal called a nanophosphor that could help substantially alleviate the energy crisis. Several companies, most notably Nanocrystal Imaging Corp., headquartered in Briarcliff Manor, New York, say they are close to perfecting or have already perfected the ability to confine individual atoms inside tiny nanocrystals. One result is a very energy-efficient phosphor (a material that emits visible light). The development could signal a breakthrough in lighting technology, which has changed very little since the days of Thomas Edison. The most common tungsten-filament bulbs still use only about 5 percent of the electricity they consume to produce light, with the rest wasted as heat. Nanophosphors, on the other hand, convert electricity into light with an efficiency approaching 100 percent, making them roughly 20 times more efficient. Worldwide, the energy savings would be enormous. Practical nanophosphors would also presumably reduce the demand for the generation of electricity, including from fossil fuel-powered plants that contribute to pollution and global warming. Outside the United States, for example, between 60 and 80 percent of all electricity is used to power lightbulbs, according to a recent Nanotech Planet report. In the U.S., keeping the lights on accounts for roughly 25 percent of the average household's energy consumption."
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