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Phasing out old bulbs
Is the government really banning traditional incandescent bulbs? There is a proposal for a voluntary phasing out of traditional bulbs between now and 2011. This will give manufacturers and retailers enough time to develop additional products that will take their place. The government has been working with all major retailers who sell light bulbs and UK energy suppliers to phase out traditional energy guzzling bulbs, replacing them with energy efficient light bulbs such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). This is in advance of a EU-wide mandatory phase out of incandescent bulbs that began on 1 September 2009 and which was agreed by EU Member States in December 2008. The traditional light bulb has not changed for over a hundred years since Edison and Swan - the time of Queen Victoria - and these bulbs waste 95% of electricity as heat. Why have this initiative? Climate change is the biggest threat facing our planet today. It is happening and it is happening now. Everyone – governments, businesses and individuals - needs to work together to tackle climate change by reducing our greenhouse gas emissions. By phasing out the traditional light bulbs, we will all be using less energy so will need less electricity. CFLs are up to 80% more efficient then incandescent lamps. What other alternatives are there to incandescent lamps? CFLs are the most energy efficient alternative technology, however halogen lamps are now available to fit into standard light sockets and emit light not dissimilar to incandescent lamps, but with only a 25-40% energy saving. In the very near future, lamps based on Light-Emitting Diode (LED) technology promise to be highly-efficient alternatives even to CFLs. What are Compact Fluorescent Lamps? They are small fluorescent lamps which fit into standard light sockets, usually referred to as CFLs or energy saving light bulbs. They last longer and use less energy than traditional (or incandescent) light bulbs, because they are much more efficient at changing electricity into light. CFLs are also cost effective. Advice from the Energy Saving Trust suggests that as they will last up to 10 times longer than a traditional bulb, just one energy saving bulb could save up to £3-6 a year and, depending on the length of time lights are in use every day, could save around £40 before it needs replacing. Fit all the lights in your house with energy saving bulbs and you could save around £37 a year and £590 over the lifetime of all of the bulbs. Does the law require me to replace all my traditional light bulbs immediately? No; while the intention of both the UK’s retailer-led voluntary initiative is to phase out the sale of inefficient bulbs in participated retailes, the EU’s mandatory measures under the Energy-using Products Directive will phase out the manufacture and import of inefficient bulbs and retailers will be able to sell on existing stock if they so wish. So what is the timetable for these bulbs being phased out across the EU? Bulbs greater than 100W have already started to be phased out. Next to be phased out will be the standard shaped bulbs (usually called A-shaped) that are used in most homes. • 1 September 2009 – From this date, manufacturers will not be able to place on the market clear lamps equivalent to 100W incandescent lamps, or above, must be minimum C class energy rating (leaving only halogen retrofit halogen lamps). Non-clear (frosted / pearl) lamps must be minimum Energy Label A-class. • 1 September 2010 - From this date, manufacturers will not be able to place on the market 75 W clear incandescent lamps. • 1 September 2011 - From this date, manufacturers will not be able to place on the market 60 W clear incandescent lamps. • 1 September 2012 - From this date, manufacturers will not be able to place on the market all remaining clear incandescent lamps (i.e. 40W and 25W). • 1 September 2016 - Raising the minimum level to B class for clear retrofit lamps (i.e. phasing out C-class retrofit halogen lamps). Note: Information supplied by the Energy Saving Trust and the Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs (Defra) |
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