How Much Does It Cost to Run an LED Light Bulb for 24 Hours? (2025)

A Comprehensive ROI Analysis for Commercial and Industrial Lighting

In the landscape of modern infrastructure and industrial management, energy efficiency is no longer a luxury—it is a fiscal necessity. As municipalities and enterprises transition toward smarter cities and greener warehouses, one question remains at the forefront of facility management: What is the actual operational cost of LED lighting? 

While a single bulb’s consumption might seem trivial, scaling that cost across a manufacturing plant or a city-wide street lighting network reveals a massive impact on the bottom line. In this guide, we break down the costs, the math, and the long-term economic advantages of LED technology.

1. The Mathematics of Illumination: How to Calculate Cost of LED Lighting?

Calculating the energy consumption of an LED fixture is a straightforward process, but for commercial applications, precision is key. To find the cost of running a light for 24 hours, you need three variables: the wattage of the bulb, the duration of use, and your local utility rate.

Calculating the cost of any LED fixture is straightforward. Use this formula:

    (Wattage × Hours / 1000) × Cost per kWh = Total Cost

Let’s apply this to a 10-watt high-efficiency LED bulb, which is common in commercial hallways or small-scale security lighting.

• Daily Energy Usage: $10W × 24h = 240Wh (or 0.24 kWh).
• Daily Cost: At an average industrial rate of $0.13 per kWh, the cost is $0.0312.
• Annual Cost: Over a full year of 24/7 operation, this single bulb costs only $11.39.

In contrast, an equivalent 60-watt incandescent bulb would consume 1.44 kWh per day, costing $68.32 annually. When you multiply this by 500 fixtures in a large facility, the switch to LED saves over $28,000 per year in energy alone.

2. Beyond the Electricity Bill: Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

For project buyers—such as street lighting contractors or warehouse managers—the "cost" of a light bulb involves more than just the electricity meter. We must consider the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

Maintenance and Labor Savings

Traditional lighting like High-Pressure Sodium (HPS) or Metal Halide (MH) lamps have a lifespan of 10,000 to 15,000 hours. In a 24/7 environment, these bulbs fail every 14 to 20 months. Replacing them often requires specialized equipment like bucket trucks and high-altitude technicians.

Professional-grade LED fixtures, such as those engineered by Infralumin, are rated for 50,000 to 100,000 hours. Under 24-hour operation, these units can last up to 11 years. This drastically reduces:

• Replacement part costs.
• Labor hours for maintenance crews.
• Operational downtime in critical areas like shipping docks or public intersections.

3. Why LED Lighting is Revolutionizing 24/7 Operations

The efficiency of LEDs is rooted in their physics. Unlike traditional bulbs that create light as a byproduct of heat (incandescence), LEDs utilize semi-conductors to convert electrons directly into photons.

• Heat Dissipation: Traditional bulbs convert up to 90% of energy into heat. For indoor facilities, this adds a "hidden cost" by increasing the load on HVAC systems. LEDs run significantly cooler, preserving the integrity of the fixture and reducing cooling costs.

• Luminous Efficacy: Modern LEDs now achieve over 150-200 lumens per watt (lm/W). This means B2B clients can achieve the same brightness (Lux levels) with lower wattage, further driving down that 24-hour cost.

• Durability: LEDs are solid-state lighting. They lack fragile filaments or glass tubes, making them resistant to the vibrations of heavy machinery or the harsh weather conditions faced by outdoor street lights.

4. Strategic Optimization for Large-Scale Projects

To maximize the ROI of your 24/7 lighting, consider these advanced integration strategies:

Smart Dimming and Photocells

Running lights for 24 hours doesn't always mean running them at 100% power. By integrating NEMA-socket controllers or DALI LED dimming systems, street lights can automatically dim during low-traffic hours (e.g., 2:00 AM to 5:00 AM), cutting the 24-hour cost by an additional 30%.

Power Factor Correction

In industrial settings, the "Power Factor" of a driver matters. High-quality LED drivers ensure that the power drawn is used efficiently, avoiding "reactive power" penalties from utility companies that are common in large-scale commercial contracts.

Final Thoughts

The cost to run an LED for 24 hours is remarkably low, but the value it provides is immense. For a single unit, we are talking about pennies; for a city or a corporation, we are talking about a fundamental shift in operational sustainability.

By choosing high-performance LED street light solutions, you are investing in a decade of reliability, reduced carbon emissions, and significant financial savings.