Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-6077852-20130128003523/@comment-6294495-20130203202623

The problem with glowstone is that it may return less dust than required to make it, if you want to move the block and have to break it. This problem is solved with redstone lamps which require the same amount of glowstone dust (4) and when broken can be placed again without crafting again. The redpower lamp are the same way except they can be made with dyes to make different colors, although the light emitted is still white.

All of these have a brighter luminescense (15)  than a torch (14).

Industrialcraft has the Luminator which doesn't require glowstone dust but has to be powered with energy. I'm not sure how bright they are but they seem to be as good as a torch.