CFLs or Compact Florescent Lamps are household names now a days.The trend emerged in the 90s in India.Anert the kerala government's energy conservation agency sold these lamps at subsidy to encourage usage of these lamps which were heavily priced when they were introduced. CFL is a miniature of your fluorascent tube.It has an electronics ballast and a small phosphor coated tube.The ballast creates high frequency current in the range of 40Khz or more.This current causes the gas inside the tube to emit ultraviolet waves.This UV rays are absorbed by the phosphor coating of your CFL tube and it emits white light. CFLs lasts around 5 years much more than an incandescent lamp.It consumes less electricity and provides more illumination.So even though cost is higher , as you use it ,it will be okie. Havells india offers good CFLs at economic rates though cheaper CFLs are available from Khaitan and Bajaj. Click here to read the user guide of Havells CFL (PDF) Cost of Havells CFL Havells CF...