After many years in the making, LED light bulbs are finally beginning to have the kind of impact early fans of the technology said they would.

This is the view of Alastair Ramsay, sustainable development manager for Legrand, who said that the diodes are rapidly becoming economically viable for homes and businesses.

Indeed, "they are beginning to deliver features, such as equivalent acceptable colour rendering, which matches that of the incandescent lamps they are intended to replace", he pointed out.

"Key to the adoption of LED lamps is the fact they will lead to a reduction in lighting electricity consumption of between 40 and 80 per cent. And although the initial purchase cost is higher, buyers are rewarded by lower operating costs and a significantly longer lifespan that is typically greater than 20 times that of a traditional lamp."

However, Mr Ramsay noted, it is still important for householders and business office managers to check the manufacturer's information before fitting their LED lights to ensure the correct lamp has been chosen.

Indeed, many householders will be looking to install LED lighting this winter in a bid to cut their fuel bills, as a number of big energy providers have unveiled plans to hike their prices.

Npower customers will feel the force of a 9.1 per cent electricity rise from next Monday (November 26th), with the average annual bill going up by £108 to £1,244.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at energy comparison site uSwitch, said that with temperatures set to plummet to below zero in the coming weeks, many customers will struggle to pay their bills this winter.

Research by the website revealed that almost nine in ten households are looking to ration their energy consumption when the cold weather strikes, while three quarters admitted to going without heating last winter because of high fuel prices.

Fitting energy efficient bulbs could therefore provide welcome relief to consumers concerned about their electricity payments.