Researchers at the University of Cambridge say they have developed a new type of LED light bulb that could slash electricity consumption and burn for 100,000 hours , which would translate into about 60 years’ worth of typical household use.

The LED uses gallium nitride, which generates bright, energy-efficient lighting but has previously proven too expensive to produce for commercial use. Cambridge researchers, however, have found a way to grow gallium nitride on silicon wafers, a method that cuts production costs in half.

Up until now, gallium nitride have been grown on wafers of sapphire … how’s that for an expensive base material?

“This could well be the holy grail in terms of providing our lighting needs for the future,” said lead researcher Colin Humphreys. “We are very close to achieving highly efficient, low-cost white LEDs that can take the place of both traditional and currently available low-energy light bulbs. That won’t just be good news for the environment, it will also benefit consumers by cutting their electricity bills.”

No word yet on when we can start placing orders for the super-bulb, but we’re ready to queue up now.

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