President Bush announces US plan to phase out incandescents

The Daily Green has reported the following...

As the global shift toward green continues, Congress has shown they are taking concerns over climate change, pollution and resource use seriously. Can it be said that they're starting to see the light?

Although a recent bid to force electric companies to increase wind and solar power to 15% of total electrical output by 2020 failed, Congress is getting close to passing an energy bill that contains a little-known provision designed to phase out the 125-year-old incandescent light bulb in the next four to 12 years. Instead the future will be lit with next generation energy-efficient lighting, as USA Today reports.

Under the measure, all light bulbs must use 25% to 30% less energy than today's products by 2012 to 2014. The phase-in will start with 100-watt bulbs in 2012 and end with 40-watt bulbs in 2014. By 2020, bulbs must be 70% more efficient.

Compact fluorescent bulbs already meet that 70% efficiency standard. They also last six to 10 times longer than incandescents. Compact fluorescents now cost around $2, vs. about 50 cents for an incandescent. Halogen bulbs, specially designed energy-saving incandescents and the emerging light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

The new rules are expected to save consumers $40 billion in energy and other costs from 2012 to 2030, avoid construction of 14 coal-fired power plants, and cut global-warming emissions by at least 51 million tons of carbon annually, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

The move to ban the bulb isn't wholly surprising, given similar announcements by Australia, Canada and Ireland, as well as discussions in the European Union and New Zealand. California legislators have discussed a possible state-wide ban.

Any mandatory changes to consumer behavior is going to rankle some critics. But looking back in history, most become widely accepted and appreciated in time for their wide benefits to society. Think of leaded gasoline, radium dinner plates, mercury thermometers, seat belts and child-proof containers. A few decades from now, people may look back on incandescent light bulbs as relics so inefficient that they are dangerous.

Labels: light bulb ban, President Bush, US

Greenpeace Ireland "Ban The Bulb Day" + viral marketing

Labels: Ireland, viral advertising

Greenpeace launch a Ban The Bulb campaign in India

A global switch-over to efficient lighting systems will trim the world's electricity bill by nearly one-tenth, the International Energy Agency says in a report, which it claims is the first global survey of lighting uses and costs. Nineteen per cent of the world's energy consumption is given over to lighting.

Incandescent bulbs, which are widely used across the world, are the biggest culprits in emitting carbon dioxide. The report also says though incandescent bulbs are the biggest efficiency offender, fluorescent tubes are the biggest consumer as they are extensively deployed in business premises who are basically just bad at turning them off.

The Greenpeace campaign 'Ban the Bulb' has been launched in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Pune and Bangalore.

Greenpeace is campaigning for a legislation, seeking a phase-out of incandescent light bulbs in India.

Labels: Greenpeace, India, Oct 2007

China + GEF plan to phase out incandescents

China, which makes 70% of the world's lightbulbs, has agreed to phase out incandescent bulbs in favour of more energy-efficient ones, part of a push by a leading world environmental funding agency.

The transition could be made in the next 10 years, said Monique Barbut, chief executive officer of the Global Environment Facility.

"We are starting a world campaign to ban all inefficient lightbulbs," Ms Barbut said at the Reuters Environmental Summit in Washington.

"And China has just agreed."

China's program will be formally announced in December at a meeting of climate negotiators in Bali, Indonesia, she said.

Among rich countries, Australia has already decided to phase out incandescents by 2010, Ms Barbut said, and the facility is working with the Australian government to help with the China project.

The switch to more efficient bulbs from traditional incandescent ones could mitigate 500 million tonnes of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide annually, equal to about half the climate-warming emissions of Germany, she said.

China is the first developing country to agree to join this program, and the facility will invest about $25 million for the Chinese program alone.

Other countries - including Mexico, Indonesia, Venezuela and Costa Rica - may join in future, Ms Barbut said.

"If we decide and if countries really agree, it is something that could be done in the next 10 years," she said.

The Global Environment Facility is one of the richest and least-known environmental funding agencies worldwide.

With a current trust fund of about $US3.2 billion ($A3.61 billion), the Washington, DC-based agency is the financial arm for international intergovernmental agreements on biodiversity, climate change and persistent organic pollutants. It also supports agreements on international waters, ozone and desertification.

As the lightbulb switching program goes forward, the environment facility is working to develop a fund to get these more efficient bulbs into the hands of the poor.

"An efficient lightbulb costs four times more than an inefficient lightbulb - it lasts 10 times longer but it's four times more (expensive) - and for many very poor people ... the problem is that they can't afford the four times more at one time," Ms Barbut said.

Compact fluorescent lamps use between a quarter and a fifth of the energy of incandescent bulbs producing the same light.

The matter is being discussed by countries in the European Union and the United States, she said, adding that China is ahead of the United States in this respect.

Labels: 10 years, China, GEF, phase out

US Senate Bill to ban light bulbs introduced

A bill has been introduced in the [US] Senate that will require manufacturers to phase out the old style light bulbs and replace them with new types that will give the same level of light and use less energy at the same time. It is estimated that changing to the new more efficient light bulbs will add up to a savings of $6 billion a year in electricity costs. The bill is called The Energy Efficient Lighting for a Brighter Tomorrow Act (S. 2017), it was introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and has broad bi partisan support.

Senator Bingaman states that his bill will give the light bulb manufacturers a reasonable process for them to plan and implement the changes. He further states that we have had the same lighting technology for the past 125 years. When the bill is fully implemented, it will save almost as much energy as all of the Federal appliance standards from 1987 to 2000.

One of the original co-sponsors of the bill, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) commented on the fact that we have improved on just all of Thomas Edison's inventions, except for the light bulb. This legislation will encourage a new generation of talented inventors to improve on his greatest invention, the only one that has been neglected. He also stated his intention of working with Senator Bingaman to get the bill passed and making sure that the new products are made by Americans.

If the bill is passed into law, they will begin in 2012 and go on through 2014 with phasing out the current 40, 60, 75 and 100 watt incandescent bulbs and replace them by lower wattage bulbs that will be able to produce the same level of light.

By 2014, the bulbs that we have known all our lives will be obsolete. They will be replaced with the products of the new technologies such as LEDS-light emitting diodes-, halogen incandescent bulbs, compact florescent lamps and higher efficiency incandescent bulbs, giving the consumer plenty of different products to choose from.

In technical terms, the new standards for incandescent lighting will save 88 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year. And because you do replace light bulbs much more often than you do large appliances, the savings from the new bulbs will be realized much sooner than any savings from larger appliances. The new generation bulbs will cost more, but they will last for years, not months like the current ones do. As a result, there will be considerable savings in lighting costs over the long term.

They have already talked to and negotiated with major lighting manufacturers and efficiency advocates. Philips Lighting initiated the negotiations on phasing out inefficient incandescent lamps, and Osram Sylvania and General Electric were actively engaged in the process. Some of the advocates involved in the negotiations are the Alliance to Save Energy, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Senator Bingaman took a hands on approach and was personally involved in the negotiations at critical point along the way including having meetings with the key participants. The House of Representatives has already passed a similar bill. The House Bill was authored by Congressmen Harman and Upton.

Source: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources http://energy.senate.gov/

Labels: Bill, Sen. Jeff Bingham, Sen. Ted Stevens, Senate, US

UK starts phase out of 150W, 100W, 60W light bulbs

ENERGY GUZZLING LIGHTBULBS PHASE OUT TO START NEXT YEAR

UK, DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

The Government News Network on 27 September 2007

The most energy-guzzling light bulbs in Britain will start disappearing from shop shelves early next year as part of efforts to cut CO2 emissions, Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn said today.

This voluntary initiative, which is being led by major retailers and energy suppliers, will see energy efficient light bulbs replace their least efficient equivalents on shop shelves over the next four years.

Its aim is to save up to 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2012 from UK electricity generation - the equivalent to the carbon emissions of a typical 1 Giga Watt coal fired power station.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced in March, while Chancellor of the Exchequer, his aim for the UK to be one of the first countries to phase out inefficient light bulbs and set an ambitious target date to achieve that by the end of 2011, ahead of possible actions by the EU to ban these products altogether.

Secretary of State Hilary Benn said: "Britain is leading the way in getting rid of energy-guzzling light bulbs and helping consumers reduce their carbon footprint. Choosing energy saving light bulbs can help tackle climate change, and also cut household bills, with each bulb saving up to £60 over its lifetime.

"I am delighted that major companies have said they are prepared to help deliver this ambitious timetable and offer products which will help their own customers play their part in combating climate change."

"But there are many more energy hungry gadgets on sale in shops that waste too much energy. That's why I want to see today's initiative widened. I want to see more retailers, manufacturers and service providers taking action to phase out
the least efficient products from their ranges, for example, certain set top boxes and TVs, and so help offer greener choices to their customers."

Kevin Hawkins, Director General of the British Retail Consortium said: "Retailers are committed to reducing their carbon footprint and play an active role in helping consumers reduce their own environmental impact. This is just the latest in a number of initiatives in which retailers are helping to shape consumer habits through the promotion of energy saving products. We look forward to working closely with Government and manufacturers in the lead up to the 2011 deadline to ensure the supply of energy saving light bulbs matches demand, and that they become a viable alternative to conventional light bulbs for consumers of all incomes"

Keven Verdun, Chief Executive of the Lighting Association said: 'The UK lighting suppliers strongly support the Government's ambition in this initiative. For many years the European lamp industry has promoted the benefits of phasing out energy inefficient light bulbs. In June 2007 the industry
presented its own proposals for EU legislation to phase out inefficient light bulbs across the whole of Europe, commencing 2009. We welcome the positive support of governments for this transition to more efficient lighting technologies which we believe can make a substantial contribution to reducing our energy consumption and CO2 emissions."

Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust said: "We fully support the idea of phasing out inefficient lighting in favour of energy efficient light-bulbs. In most homes, lighting accounts for 10 - 15% of the electricity bill and UK households currently use £1.8 billion worth of electricity every year on lighting. An energy saving light bulb can last up to 10 times longer than a non-efficient version. Just one energy saving bulb could save up to £7 a year, fit all the lights in your house with energy saving bulbs and you could save around £600 over the lifetime of the bulbs. If everyone in the UK installed three energy saving lightbulbs, we would save enough energy to power all the UK's street lighting for a year."

Duncan Sedgwick, Chief Executive of the Energy Retail Association, said: "Britain's major energy suppliers welcome this move and are committed to distributing low energy light bulbs to households across the country over this period. This is building on the 43 million low energy light bulbs that they have already distributed through their current energy efficiency commitment."

Energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and contribute to tackling climate change because they use only a fifth to a quarter of the electricity of ordinary bulbs to generate the same amount of light.

CFLs are also cost effective. Advice from the Energy Saving Trust suggests that because it will last up to 10 times longer than a traditional bulb, just one energy saving bulb could save up to £7 a year and, depending on the length of time lights are in use every day, could save around £60 before it needs replacing. Fit all the lights in your house with energy saving bulbs and you could save around £600 over the lifetime of the bulbs.

In the UK £140 million a year is wasted by leaving lights switched on unnecessarily. This causes 900,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Each house currently has on average around 23.5 light bulbs.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Government has proposed, as an illustrative schedule for the phase out of inefficient lamps, that retailers might want to follow:

* By January 2008, cease replacing stock of all inefficient (General Lighting Service, GLS) A-shaped incandescent lamps of energy rating higher than 100W (predominantly 150W lamps).

* By January 2009, cease selling all inefficient GLS A-shaped lamps of energy rating higher than 60W (predominantly 150W lamps, 100W lamps, plus some 75W lamps)

* By January 2010, cease selling all GLS A-shaped lamps of efficacy of energy rating higher than 40W (predominantly 60W lamps)

* By 31 December 2011, cease selling all remaining inefficient GLS A-shaped lamps and 60W "candle" and "golfball" lamps. (predominantly 40W and 25W A-shaped GLS bulbs, and 60W candles and golfballs).

At the moment, we expect candles and golfballs, tungsten halogen lamps and lamps supplied with non-lighting electrical appliances to remain on sale, because suitable energy-efficient alternatives do not currently exist.

2. The following retailers support this initiative: ASDA, B&Q, The Co-operative Group, Home Retail Group (Argos and Homebase), IKEA, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Somerfield, Tesco, Waitrose, Wickes, Woolworths, British Retail Consortium, Association of Convenience Stores and the British Hardware Federation. It is also being promoted through the major energy companies as part of their activities through the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT).

3. The next phase is that the Government will be issuing a public consultation paper on the detailed analysis, targets and standards that we would like to achieve for domestic lighting products in the UK, with a view to updating the illustrative phase out schedule above.

4. The EU is expected to bring forward its proposals for lighting measures under the Framework Directive for the Eco-design of Energy Using Products (the EUP Directive). Implementing measures will set specific and potentially compulsory standards for several of the least efficient street, office/industry and domestic lighting products destined for the European market in order that they meet energy efficiency, as well as other, requirements. Proposals for street and office lighting are due to be agreed by the end of 2008. Work on the domestic lighting begun at the beginning of June. The Commission is expected to table a proposal by the end of 2009.

5. Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock today also wrote to retailers to progress the initiative announced in Budget 2006 to encourage more energy efficient set top boxes and other consumer electronics, including setting targets to reduce stand-by power.

6. Defra launched its ActOnCO2 carbon calculator http://www.direct.gov.uk/actonco2 as a public trial version on 20 June. There have been over 300,000 visits so far. The calculator helps people make the link between their own actions and climate change. Individuals or households can calculate the carbon footprint resulting from their home, appliances and personal travel using Government approved data and methodologies. Users can also receive a personalised action plan with tips for reducing their carbon emissions. The calculator takes account of lighting in its home section.

7. Under the Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC), electricity and gas suppliers are required to meet targets for the promotion of improvements in household energy efficiency. They do this by encouraging householders to take up measures like cavity wall and loft insulation and energy efficient lights. The current phase of EEC is from 2005-08 and the Government has recently consulted on the third phase, to be called the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, from April 2008 to March 2011. At least 10 million households received measures under the first phase of EEC (2002-05), which stimulated £600m of investment in energy efficiency and delivered net benefits to householders in excess of £3 billion.

It will achieve carbon savings of around 1.1 MtC02 annually by 2010. EEC2 is at broadly double the level of EEC1 and is expected to save around 1.8 MtC02 annually by 2010. CERT is proposed to roughly double the activity under EEC2 and is expected to achieve an annual saving of about 4.0 MtCO2 by 2010.

8. The European Lamp Companies' Federation proposal for Domestic lighting, published June 2007 (http://www.elcfed.org - Latest News), sets out the EU industry's full position and proposals to the European Commission for EU legislation regarding the phase out of inefficient bulbs. These proposals are intended to allow time for a smooth switch to high-efficiency halogen and compact fluorescent lamps and the development of LED and high efficiency incandescent lamps.

Labels: 100W, 150W, 60W, Hilary Benn, phase out, UK

China and the US moving towards light bulb bans?

The House and Senate are working on legislation that over the next seven years would phase out the conventional light bulb, a move aimed at saving energy and reducing man-made emissions believed linked to climate change.

General Electric Co., Philips Electronics NV of the Netherlands and other manufacturers have been meeting with conservation and environmental groups and say they are close to agreement on the general terms of a phaseout. Bipartisan coalitions in Congress are likely to add these terms to a broad energy bill expected to be voted on next month.

While manufacturers voiced some concerns about producing enough bulbs to meet the new deadlines, they emphasized that they want prompt federal legislation that would prevent states from setting their own standards, creating a patchwork of differing requirements. Nevada has already set its own standard, and California is considering one.


Paul Waide, a policy analyst with the International Energy Agency, based in Paris, told the Senate Energy Committee yesterday that the European Union, Canada and Australia are planning similar phaseouts of conventional incandescent bulbs, and China is beginning to consider one.

"It is not inconceivable that over the next 10 to 15 years that maybe all incandescent lights will be removed from the global market," he said. If that happened, he added, the resulting reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions might equal almost three-fourths of the reductions that industrial nations have promised under the Kyoto Protocol to curb global warming.

The U.S., which has four billion electric lights using such bulbs, represents about a third of the world market. Installing more-efficient incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs would save consumers about $6 billion a year in energy costs, said Jeffrey Harris, a vice president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit group based in Washington.

Common incandescent bulbs, which have been around for more than 100 years, are able to convert only 5% of the electricity they use into visible light. The rest is lost as heat.

Under the timetable proposed in both House and Senate versions, incandescent bulbs would begin to disappear from U.S. markets beginning in 2012, with 100-watt bulbs going first, then 75-watt bulbs a year later and then the more popular 60- and 40-watt bulbs by 2014.

They would be replaced by compact fluorescent bulbs and more-efficient incandescent lamps, which can cut energy use from 30% to 75%. By 2020, both bills call for lighting standards that can only be met by the compact fluorescents or other technologies that can match their efficiency.

Manufacturers hope to use a few different technologies to meet the proposed standards, but they say it will be a challenge getting new lamps out by 2012, the proposed starting date. The manufacturers also had initially been looking for a longer phaseout period of five years instead of three.

Randy Moorehead, vice president of government relations for Philips Electronics, North America, said the industry mostly supports the phase-in period but has problems with the 2020 proposed standards. Mr. Moorehead said Congress should wait to set a 2020 standard to see where the technology is headed. He said manufacturers will have to scrap new multimillion-dollar investments in equipment and employees to meet 2012 standards.

GE had announced a new energy-efficient incandescent lamp that will be 30% more efficient by 2012. GE plans to roll out the first version in 2010. GE indicated the bulb would likely be comparable to a 60-watt or 40-watt bulb. Osram Sylvania, a unit of Siemens AG, is also introducing an energy-efficient incandescent bulb.

Philips is unveiling a halogen light this fall that will be markedly more efficient and three times longer-lasting than incandescent bulbs -- but will also be more expensive initially than compact and incandescent bulbs.

GE and the two other big light bulb makers, Philips and Osram Sylvania, also are looking at light emitting diodes, or LEDS, as new sources of residential lighting. "We'll certainly fill in any gaps with other technologies," says Earl Jones, senior counsel for GE's consumer-and-industrial unit.

Nearly all compact fluorescent bulbs are made in China. Although they cost more than conventional bulbs, the energy savings over their longer lifetimes are substantial. Noting that only 10% of bulbs sold in the U.S. are compact fluorescents, Kyle Pitsor, vice president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, said the industry will mount a public-education campaign to push the more efficient bulbs.

Labels: 30%, 75%, China, GE, minimum standards, Philips, US

EU import tariff on Chinese CFLs extended

EU will retain light bulb tariff

Two thirds of energy-saving bulbs are imported from China
The European Commission has decided to retain import tariffs on Chinese-made energy-efficient light bulbs for up to another 12 months.
The decision was made even though only one of Europe's four energy-efficient light bulb producers, Germany's Osram, had called for more time to adjust.

The tariffs, introduced to stop cheap Chinese imports entering Europe, can add up to 66% to the price of bulbs.

The tariff extension will require the majority backing by EU member states.

They now have a month to decide.

'Severe contradiction'

A Commission spokesman said the extension of anti-dumping duties was needed to give European bulb producers time to adjust.

"In the overall Community interest, there are grounds to leave the possibility to continue in these anti-dumping measures for up to another year, mainly to allow in a changing reality a soft transition," said Commission spokesman Johannes Laitenberger.

Osram's rivals, including the Netherland's Philips, which already makes bulbs in China, had wanted the duty cancelled.

Environmental group Worldwide Fund for Nature said the Commission was displaying a "severe contradiction" in extending the import tariffs at the same time as lecturing consumers on the need to save energy.

Replacing old light bulbs with energy-efficient ones has long been hailed as a particularly effective way of reducing energy consumption.

Environmentalists say this would be easier to achieve if the tariffs were removed, since consumer would be more likely to buy energy-efficient bulbs if their price was lowered.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said: "This case has once again shown the complexities of managing antidumping rules in a global economy and against the broad range of EU interests."

Less than 20% of energy-saving bulbs on sale in Europe are made within the European Union, with more than two thirds imported from China.

Labels: 66%, China, EU, import tariff

The Guardian : Light bulb review

Bright lights

Still not convinced by the performance of eco light blubs? Matt Prescott founder of the Ban the Bulb campaign, puts the latest models to the test

The Guardian Thursday August 2 2007

Blame the 1970s. One of the problems holding back the uptake of energy-saving light bulbs has been that many people have still not forgotten the poor-quality versions they used then. But today, with lighting now using approximately 10% of the UK's electricity supplies, energy prices rocketing upwards, and a generally increased concern about the effects of climate change, many people say they are now prepared to give energy-efficient bulbs a second chance - provided that their performance has improved. So I put some compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to the test.

Although not perfect, the good news is that energy-saving bulbs have improved considerably, even over the past couple of years. They might not work properly with dimmers yet, but they are generally smaller, brighter and softer on the eye than they used to be. Because they work by making a phosphorous coating glow rather than by heating a filament, energy-saving light bulbs use 60% less electricity to make the same amount of light as an equivalent incandescent. This saves about £9 worth of electricity per bulb per year; or put another way, they last 6-15 times longer than the 1,000 hours of a traditional bulb and offer the UK a quick and simple way of cutting CO² emissions by 2-3m tonnes each year.

Despite these advantages, energy-saving bulbs are a lot more variable in their performance than we have come to expect from incandescents, and each make and retailer offers quite a different product. For example, it is possible to buy traditional globe-, spiral- and stick-shaped bulbs of varying size, cheap and cheerful CFLs from China, or relatively sophisticated CFLs from the major western brands, which incorporate many of the latest patents. For this review, I have stuck to a basic range of 100W- and 60W-equivalent CFLs.

My personal assessments are based on how well each light bulb worked in the same room, straight out of the box, and how happy I would have been to continue using each bulb in my own home. I have not been able to verify the life-expectancy claims for each one, as this is said to range from 6,000 to 15,000 hours (you can only watch a light bulb for so long), but I have mentioned the manufacturers' claims.

In most cases, the information available on the packaging was close to useless and took plenty of very determined reading to yield anything useful. None of the labels explained, in plain English, the amount of mercury in the bulb, how to dispose of it safely once used, its financial, carbon and energy savings, or the spectrum of light produced. Given that these are the first things people always ask me when seeking advice about what bulb to use, it's a shame this isn't standardised on all packaging.

The presence of mercury is something I am frequently asked about. A small amount is still needed in order to make all compact fluorescent lamps work, although the amount has steadily declined and is now about 50% less than used to be the norm even a couple of years ago, at approximately 4 milligrammes per bulb. The fact that it is still used is regrettable yet unavoidable at present, but the average quantity is three times less than the mercury released into the atmosphere by burning the extra coal need to power equivalent incandescent bulbs. As the mercury is contained within a sealed glass container it should be a relatively straightforward matter to recycle it safely. The EU's restriction of hazardous substances directive came into effect on July 1 2006 and provides a framework for how such recycling could be done, but is not yet law. To date, Ikea is the only company I know of that recycles all the CFLs returned to it and I hope it will not be long before all retailers follow suit in this important area.

And the results are ...

Following my test, I found that I preferred the performance of the traditional-style CFLs. They all produced a high level and quality of light within 1-3 seconds and produced an even light quality in all directions. The light intensities were good in all cases, and they all illuminated my test room more effectively than the stick bulbs, which cast light spots and shaded areas on the walls. The traditional-style designs from Philips offered the best performance. They warmed up to a bright light almost instantaneously and provided a very good even light around the entire room. The 100W-equivalent Philips bulb was more than capable of lighting a large room on its own. The traditonal-style bulb from Tesco also performed well against all of the test criteria and was very cheap at only 81p even though the life expectancy was relatively short at 6,000 hours.

· Dr Matt Prescott is director of the Ban the Bulb campaign (banthebulb.org).

Labels: GE, light bulb review, Philips, Tesco, The Guardian

EU to lift 66% trade tariffs on Chinese light bulbs

The Associated Press

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Charges that raise the price of Chinese-made energy-efficient light bulbs should be scrapped, European Union regulators said Thursday.

The European Commission said it planned to lift antidumping duties on power-saving bulbs made in China that raise prices for European customers by two-thirds. The commission came out against Germany's Osram AG, which has pushed to keep the duties in place, claiming below-cost imports are unfair to European manufacturers.

EU spokesman Peter Power said Osram was trying to damage Dutch rival Royal Philips Electronics NV, which makes bulbs in China. The EU will suggest lifting the duties in the coming months, he said.

"Osram is seeking to continue antidumping measures because they hit Philips proportionately harder," Power told reporters. "It is a question of commercial competition between two European companies."

It is also a question of saving power and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Lighting is a major drain on the power grid, and the EU aims to cut both energy use and carbon dioxide releases by a fifth by 2020.

Shifting to eco-friendly bulbs will soon be mandatory, as the EU plans to set new efficiency standards for all lights used in homes and workplaces and on streets. Most lamp manufacturers have agreed to phase out standard incandescent light bulb within eight years.

But the higher cost of greener bulbs has deterred customers. Since 2001, the EU has slapped a 66 percent duty on imports of fluorescent bulbs from China because European producers claimed they were unfairly hurt by low-cost bulbs being dumped on the European market.

Those fees were due to expire July 19, after five years. But they are still in place while the EU's executive arm holds talks with national trade experts — including Germany, which wants to keep the duties in place.

Power said a meeting Thursday would discuss the problem, but would make no final decision. A definitive proposal, including the suspension of the duties, was expected within months.

He said Osram was not the voice of besieged European manufacturers, and noted that Philips, General Electric Co. and Havells Sylvania together make more bulbs in Europe than Osram does. To complicate matters further, like Philips, Osram also makes bulbs in China that are sold at dumped prices.

A group of EU importers, the Foreign Trade Association, called on national governments this week to lift the duties.

The EU has investigated a host of complaints from European companies in recent years claiming their shoes, furniture and DVDs have unfairly lost ground to a wide range of Chinese-made products sold below cost in Europe, breaking world trade rules.

Labels: China, EU, Osram, Philips, tariff

Ban The Bulb on Facebook

Labels: Ban The Bulb, Facebook

EU light bulb manufacturers back phase out (8 yrs)

According to Associated Press, European light-bulb makers have said they want to phase out the standard incandescent light bulb in eight years, replacing it with more eco-friendly, energy-efficient lamps.

The manufacturers' proposal, submitted to the European Commission, is similar to plans under way or under consideration elsewhere, including Australia, California, and Canada, as governments seek energy savings and green-friendly credentials.

The switch could lead to significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from domestic lighting, and savings of $9.4 billion for European consumers, said the European manufacturers. The group includes General Electric Co., Havells Sylvania, and Philips.

The leaders of the 27 European Union nations agreed on new energy and emissions cutting guidelines in March, including phasing out the old incandescent lamps.

Andris Piebalgs, the EU's energy commissioner, welcomed the initiative, saying it showed efficiency "is a way of combatting climate change" and reducing energy dependency across Europe.

The EU is applying new binding minimum energy efficiency rules for all lights used, either in the home, at work, or in street lighting.

The industry group said manufacturers will have eight years to switch to high-efficiency halogen and compact flourescent lamps and develop high-efficiency incandescent bulbs.

"Under the proposal, within eight years from now, 85% of the total EU traditional incandescent lamp market of 2.1 billion lamps would need to meet new efficiency requirements," the group said.

It added that the highest watt lamps, those between 25 watts and 100 watts, will be phased out by 2015.

Labels: 8 years, EU manufacturers, phase out

Greenpeace launch energy efficiency campaign

Labels: energy efficiency, Greenpeace

Ban The Bulb : Campaign Archive

Labels: Ban The Bulb, campaign archive

Greenpeace India set up a Ban The Bulb petition

Dear Minister,

You're aware that climate change is the biggest environmental threat India is facing.

Burning coal to generate electricity is leading to increase in global temperatures, changing monsoon patterns, faster melting of Himalayan glaciers and rising sea levels. India will be one of the worst affected countries. Large parts of India's coastal cities like Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai will be submerged, while agriculture and fisheries production will decrease, and vector-borne diseases such as dengue will become commonplace.

We only have a few more years before climate change reaches the point of no return. Every day, India uses 18,000 MW of electricity for lighting; most of it is wasted by the use of inefficient ordinary light bulbs. To reduce CO2 emissions, India must become more energy efficient.

Compact Fluorescent Lamps use only 20% of the energy used by an ordinary light bulb. By replacing all ordinary light bulbs with CFLs, we can reduce India's CO2 emissions by 55 million tonnes.

You have the power and responsibility to bring about this change by announcing a total ban on incandescent light bulbs by 2010, and to make CFLs more readily accessible to the common man.

As a supporter of Greenpeace’s campaign, I urge you to do the right thing not just for my generation, but for future ones as well.

Labels: Greenpeace, India, petition

US senators propose a light bulb ban

South Carolina is attempting to follow the lead of Australia and the European Union by enforcing the use of compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Three senators proposed legislation that would ban the selling of traditional incandescent light bulbs after 2017, the Tribune Regional News reported.

State Sens. John Drummond, Phil Leventis and Vincent Sheheen would ban the bulbs in an attempt to reduce electricity usage and carbon dioxide emissions, though the measure is causing debate.

"I don't think the government has any business telling us what kind of light bulb to use," said state Rep. Phillip Lowe.

There's another bill on the table that caused a little less opposition. It would require people to replace their burnt-out incandescent bulbs with CFLs as they need new bulbs.

Other U.S. states are also considering similar legislation. In New Jersey, there's a bill to replace all the bulbs in government buildings, and similar proposals have been introduced in California, Connecticut, North Carolina and Rhode Island.

CFLs cost a little more but last longer and are more efficient. But issues of disposal have yet to be worked out. The CFLs have traces of mercury in them.

Labels: EU-wide incandecent light bulb ban, US senators, USA

Lester Brown's new Plan B 2.0 book backs bulb ban

"Switching light bulbs is an easy way of realizing large, immediate gains in energy efficiency. A study for the U.S. government calculated that the gasoline equivalent of the energy saved over the lifetime of one 24-watt compact fluorescent bulb is sufficient to drive a Prius from New York to San Francisco."

Labels: Lester Brown, Plan B 2.0

Villagers replace all of their incandescents with CFLs

A remote moorland village in Staffordshire has become the first community in the UK to replace all its incandescent light bulbs with new energy efficient ones.

Residents of the 30 houses in Ilam, in the Peak District, decided to make the switch in the hope of reducing the village's carbon emissions by around four tonnes a year.

The move came about after a group of bell ringers raised the idea of reinstating an old water turbine as a green source of energy for the village. A local environmental charity, the Marches Energy Agency, suggested taking a broader approach.

Robin Tidman, from the agency, said: "Through experience we have successfully developed our own approach to creating low-carbon communities and so we can help villages like Ilam play their part in tackling climate change.

"We started by working out the carbon footprint - how much energy was being used in Ilam - to check on how much energy was being wasted. The banishment of incandescent bulbs years ahead of the recently announced European Union target is a fantastic achievement for Ilam."

The Government plans to phase out old-fashioned light bulbs in favour of new energy-saving versions by 2011. Funding for the 600 new energy efficient light bulbs was provided by Staffordshire County Council along with the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council and the Peak District National Park.

Labels: Ilam, staffordshire, village

Ontario ban by 2012 plus free CFLs + procurement

A total of $1.5 million has also been allocated by the province for Project Porchlight volunteers to deliver 500,000 bulbs door-to-door in communities across Ontario.

The phase-out period is designed to give Ontario residents a chance to adapt to more efficient lighting technologies, such as compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, and to start the public on the road to more complex energy conservation actions.

“Phasing out inefficient lighting will stimulate and sustain public dialogue about energy efficiency in general,” said Stuart Hickox, executive director of Project Porchlight, which a One Change campaign. “There is a profound sense of urgency about climate change that can only be sustained by giving everyone something to do. The simple act of changing a light bulb takes people from awareness to action; people become part of the solution.”

This move has occurred because the incandescent light bulb is amongst the most inefficient technologies in use in Canada.

Changing all of the 87 million light bulbs in Ontario will result in a savings of approx 6,000,000 MWh annually, enough to power 600,000 households.

Switching to CFL bulbs will prevent 43.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases over the lifetime of the bulbs.

Changing light bulbs is the universal starting point for broad public action to reducing energy use. Polling done by Ekos Research following recent Project Porchlight campaigns (Ottawa, Guelph, Thunder Bay) shows that once people receive a CFL bulb, up to 65% say they will either change all their bulbs to CFLs right away or as old bulbs burn out. Up to 80% of respondents say that because of switching one bulb, they will now consider “energy efficiency” as a factor in all their future purchases.

“Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs is the first choice that we can make in becoming energy efficient consumers,” continued Mr. Hickox. “The government’s action shows that they understand that the bulb is just the start. Once people change bulbs, they will quickly move to more complex energy conservation actions.”

Innovative social marketing programs such as Project Porchlight offer people a chance to adapt to and appreciate new technologies such as CFL bulbs. In addition to funding from the Ontario government, Project Porchlight campaigns are also sponsored by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Hydro Ottawa, Thunder Bay Hydro, the Yukon government, and Natural Resources Canada.

Labels: ban by 2012, Canada, Ontario, procurement, Project Porchlight

BTB investigates the EU's plans for a light bulb ban

Dear Ferran,

I am writing to ask if you could let me know which directives the EU will be using to phase out incandescent light bulbs and/or to incentivise the uptake of their energy efficient alternatives.

Warmest regards

Matt

Dr Matt Prescott
Director, Ban The Bulb
www.banthebulb.org

Dear Mr Prescott,

Ferran Tarradellas has asked me to send you this information regarding lightbulbs and other ways of saving energy.

Electric lighting generates emissions equal to 70 per cent of those from all the world's passenger vehicles. But it is still very inefficient. Incandescent light bulbs have been used for 125 years and up to 90 per cent of the energy each light bulb uses is wasted, mainly as heat.

The more efficient lights, such as the compact fluorescent light bulb, use around 20 per cent of the electricity to produce the same amount of light. A compact fluorescent light bulb can last between 4 and 10 times longer than the average incandescent light bulb and can lead to major savings in household energy costs (lighting costs can be reduced by up to 66 per cent).

The Commission is aware of the substantial energy saving potential related to household lighting. Since 1998, a directive imposes the display of the EU energy label on the packaging of household lamps pointing out incandescent lamps to consumers as particularly bad performers. While very effective for other appliances, the label did not succeed in pulling the market towards a major market share for economic lamps. This had to do with the high difference in purchase price for consumers, aesthetic and performance considerations.

Under the Ecodesign directive (2005/32/EC), the Commission is now examining 20 product groups (including lighting) in order to improve their overall environmental performance, with special attention to their energy efficiency. In this framework it will be possible to the Commission to set mandatory requirements on manufacturers that would exclude the worst performing products from the European market. However, such measures have to be preceded by extensive stakeholder consultation and by an assessment of the impact on the lamp industry (in Australia all lamps are imported) and on consumers (affordability, aesthetic and quality of lighting).

Studies on potential measures for lighting equipment in streets and offices will be finished by this summer, and a study on domestic lighting which will help determine whether phasing out incandescent lamps is a valid policy option in the EU, will start in May.

The study to be launched in May to examine the potential policy measures relating to the environmental performance of household lighting, including its energy efficiency will also estimate the amount of energy that would be saved by phasing out incandescent lamps in the EU. First calculations estimate that the yearly savings once all incandescent lamps will be replaced by energy-saving lamps is 45 billion kWh per year. As an order of magnitude, this represents the total annual electricity consumption (including appliances) of about 10 million European households.

Energy Efficiency Action Plan:

You can find the list of the five new items (solid fuel small combustion installations, laundry dryers, vacuum cleaners, digital TV converter boxes and household lighting) for the new tender for studies under section "Second round of preparatory studies" on the DG TREN Ecodesign website:

Incandescent bulbs will be dealt with under domestic lighting.

We have just opened the offers for preparatory studies into all these areas and now we'll have to evaluate them to select the winning tenderers.

The main criterion for choosing these products is still their relatively high potential in reducing GHG emissions, as required in Article 16.2 of the Ecodesign Directive 2005/32/EC:

Best wishes,
Marilyn Carruthers
Press Officer to Energy Spokesman

Hello Marilyn,

Thank you for replying on Ferran's behalf.

Please could you let me know the following

(1) The proposed date(s) for banning domestic incandescents within the EU,
(2) Whether all types of domestic incandescent will be treated the same way,
(3) Whether all EU countries will be obliged to implement bans in the same way at the same time,
(4) What exemptions will be made,
(5) What financial / practical assistance will provide for the EU's poorest citizens
(6) What measures will be made to ensure that other relevant legislation supports the goal of banning incandescents and
(7) Whether changes in VAT will be allowed to make incandescents more expensive and CFL cheaper before any ban comes into force.

Warmest regards

Matt

Director, Ban The Bulb
www.banthebulb.org

Dear Matt,

I am afraid that its rather too early to answer your questions. As the info I send you explains, we are in a study phase where incandescent bulbs are concerned.
It is too soon to either confirm that there might be a ban or give a date or to say what types of bulb might be included since before we get to that stage extensive consultation with stakeholders will be held.

Regarding your last question on changes in VAT, I am forwarding your question to our Spokesman responsible for tax issues. Maria Assimakopoulou.

Best wishes,

Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

Thank you for this additional information.

I suspect that a lot of reputational harm would be done to the EU if a domestic incandescent light bulb ban now failed to materialise and I hope that the EU's official position will be clarified without delay.

I also think that it is important for the goals of the WEEE, RoHS and EUP Directives to be harmonised as much as possible and for it to be made clear whether the EU will allow energy efficient goods and services to benefit from reduced levels of VAT across the EU, before any bans come into force.

I look forward to hearing from Maria Assimakopoulou in due course and appreciate your prompt and helpful response to my enquiry.

Warmest regards

Matt

Dr Matt Prescott
Ban The Bulb
www.banthebulb.org

Dear Marilyn,

I am writing to ask if you are able to provide any further details on the details on the proposed ban in domestic incandescent light bulbs including:

(1) a timetable for EU-wide action as part of the EUP Directive,
(2) the sequence in which specific domestic lighting technologies might be banned,
(3) the extent to which bans might vary between nations,
(4) the specialist and medical exemptions which are under consideration and
(5) the proposals which might to allow member states to use their tax systems to incentivise greater energy efficiency.

Warmest regards

Matt

Dr Matt Prescott
Director, Ban The Bulb
www.banthebulb.org

Dear Matt,

Thank you for your email of April 8. As I said in my email of 15 March - we are in a study phase where incandescent bulbs are concerned. There is no proposal to ban them at present - your questions 1-4 are therefore impossible for us to answer yet.
In regard to your tax question I am copying Mrs Assimakopoulou who will answer you on this.

Best wishes,

Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

Thank you for your response to my query regarding the details of the EU's proposed light bulb ban.

Whatever the intention, I am afraid that the impression was definitely created that the EU was proposing to ban domestic incandescent light bulbs within the next few years.

Please see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6433503.stm

If the press coverage in March was mistaken, I would urge you :

(1) to be precise about what you the European Commission is proposing to do about improving the energy efficiency of domestic lighting and

(2) to publish a press release which corrected the widely established view that the EU's leaders have in any way committed to ban inefficient domestic light bulbs.

As things stand, the EU has been given a lot of credit for sounding as though it intends to make domestic lighting more energy efficient -without being required to specify any meaningful targets or a timetable for action.

I would therefore appreciate it if the EU's position could be clarified in public without delay.

I shall look forward to hearing from Maria regarding my question on the scope for using tax incentives to encourage greater energy efficiency within the EU.

Warmest regards

Matt

Director, Ban The Bulb
www.banthebulb.org

Dear Matt,

For the moment normal VAT rates apply to both Incandescent lighting and Compact fluorescent light bulb.

Today, there is no legal basis for a reduced rate.

Whether changes in VAT will be allowed to make incandescents more expensive and Compact Fluorescent Lights cheaper before any ban comes into force, we will have to wait for the outcome of the report (in particular on the link between VAT rate decrease and consumer price decrease).

Best regards,
Maria Assimakopoulou

Dear Maria,

Thank you for your prompt and helpful response.

Please could you tell me what explicitly stops individual governments from reducing the rate of VAT on energy saving goods and services and when the report you have mentioned is likely to be published.

Warmest regards and thanks,

Matt

Dear Matt,

VAT rules at EU level are harmonised and any change therefore needs to be agreed with the unanimity of the 27 Member States. Member States cannot decide on their own initiative to modify the EU law.

The report on the impact of the existing VAT reduced rates should be available around end of July/September. The Commission, based on the findings of this report will make a Communication aiming to launch a debate among Member States on modifying the current rules on VAT reduced rates. This again doesn't mean that incandescent lighting will then be included in the list of reduced VAT rate.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Best regards,

Maria

Dear Maria,

Thank you very much for this clarification.

Your generous assistance is greatly appreciated.

Warmest regards

Matt

Labels: details, Eu ban, tax

European Parliament Written Declaration

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas energy saving is an essential part of the EU’s strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and improve security of supply,

B. whereas 80% of home lighting today uses highly inefficient incandescent bulbs thatconvert only 5% of the energy used into light,

C. whereas these bulbs could be rapidly replaced, saving €5-8 billion across the EU in fuelbills and around 20 million tonnes of CO2,

D. whereas there is a growing worldwide move towards legislation to ban incandescentbulbs, including in Cuba (May 2006), Venezuela (November 2006), California (February2007), Australia (February 2007) and Ontario (February 2007),

1. Calls upon the Commission to initiate legislation to ban the sale of incandescent lightbulbs in the European Union by 2010;

2. Calls upon Member States, with EU encouragement, immediately to launch public information campaigns on the economic and environmental advantages of efficient lighting systems and to maximise existing legislation to facilitate the phasing-out ofincandescent bulbs;

3. Urges the Commission to use the proposal for a new international energy efficiency agreement to launch a global ban on the use of incandescent bulbs;

4. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of thesignatories, to the Commission and the Member States.

Labels: caroline lucas, europe, mep, written declaration

Import duty on Chinese CFLs up for renewal by EU

While Europe's leaders were last week urging householders to fit energy-efficient light bulbs, several governments were busy attempting to block moves to cut their price.

A European summit agreed to toughen regulations against old-fashioned incandescent bulbs by 2009 as part of a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions. But earlier in the week officials from trade ministries rebuffed attempts by the European Commission to end five-year-old surcharges on imports of energy-efficient bulbs from China.

The 66 per cent duty was imposed in 2002 after European manufacturers complained of dumping by the Chinese. It expires in October but Siemens of Germany, which owns the Osram brand, is pushing for an extension. The other big makers, Philips of the Netherlands, which pays a 33 per cent tariff, and GE of the US, disagree. Ending the duty would cut prices to the level of conventional bulbs.

The Commission believes that Osram does not have the requisite 25 per cent of the market to ask for measures but some states, including Italy, this week askedit to do its maths again.

A spokesman said: "The Commission has not yet reached a definitive assessment in this review at this stage. It will do so in the next couple of weeks."

A UK government spokeswoman said: "Replacing just one bulb with an energy-efficient alternative can reduce lighting costs by up to £9 per year, or £100 over the lifetime of the bulb." It also saves tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Cuba, Venezuela and Australia are to ban incandescent bulbs.

EU diplomats said the late addition of the item to the summit agenda was the personal initiative of Angela Merkel, German chancellor, whose country holds the Union's rotating presidency.

Asked whether she used such bulbs, she said: "Most of the bulbs in my flat are energy-saving bulbs but they are not yet quite bright enough. Sometimes if you drop something on the carpet, you can't always find it." She should expect a knock at the door soon from Siemens.

Labels: 66%, China, import duty

EU lamp companies help government change lights

The European Lamp Companies Federation (ELC) today announced the first-ever joint industry commitment to support a government shift to more efficient lighting products for the home. The commitment was announced by Philips, Osram, GE, SLI Sylvania and other European lamp manufacturers following a meeting between industry, national governments and the European Commission at the International Energy Agency, in Paris.

The lighting industry is developing a multi-pronged approach to achieve this government objective including public incentives to encourage consumers to purchase more efficient products and setting performance standards that will eliminate the least efficient products from the market.

In Europe approximately 2.1 billion energy inefficient lamps are sold every year mainly for homes, and other commercial uses. There are 3.6 billion such inefficient lamps in use in Europe. Assuming that an average of 50% of energy consumed could be saved by changing to energy efficient home lighting, Europe could save approximately 23 megatons of CO2, which is equal to the output of 27 power plants (@ 2TWh) or electricity cost saving of 7 billion Euros.

ELC members are already proactively assisting the government to influence the shift towards more efficient lighting through the European framework directive EuP (ecodesign of energy using products) in the areas of street and office lighting. They now also urge the European Commission to adopt a similarly proactive approach to domestic lighting. The group is now actively working on scenarios for the various governments so as to recommend realistic targets and timelines for an effective, successful shift that continues to provide consumers with the best lighting products for their needs while also serving to reduce energy consumption.

Labels: ELCFED, manufacturers