By Angelo Baggini / Published on Fri, 2009-01-09 10:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
During 2006, the South African national utility
Eskom distributed more than
7 million CFLs to replace incandescent bulbs. Generator of
95% of South Africa's electricity, Eskom initially procured 300,000 CFLs for free distribution near Johannesburg to test the feasibility, cost-of-distribution and actual load reductions of the measure.
Encouraged by the energy savings, the utility procured a further 2.7 million CFLs for distribution to low-cost housing areas in South Africa. These areas were identified by the Network Planning Department as areas with existing or impending capacity problems, and the distribution is still being carried out by various ESCOs in the country, with the help of unemployed local residents.
To address the rolling black-outs disrupting Cape Town during 2006, Eskom is sourcing an additional 5 million CFLs for distribution in the Western Cape area. Approximately 50% will be distributed on the same basis as the 3-million project referred to above, and the remaining 50% will be offered to middle-and-high income consumers, through traditional retail outlets, but at a greatly reduced (i.e. subsidised) price. Normal retail prices at present are about USD 1.40 and the subsidised price will probably be around USD 0.80 cents.
Eskom is wholly owned by the
South African government.
Read full story
By Angelo Baggini / Published on Sun, 2008-12-21 10:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
New Zealand's Electricity Commission has agreed to support the installation of up to 3 million energy-saving CFL bulbs in New Zealand homes by end of June 2007.
Drawing the Electricity Commission Levy that consumer pay to their electricity retailer, the the Commission has set aside NZ $3 million to invest in residential energy-saving bulb campaigns throughout the country.
For the country, it is more economic to invest in energy-saving bulbs than producing electricity. According to the Electricity Commission, the energy-saving bulb programme costs New Zealanders around 1 cent per kilowatt hour, relative to the 6 - 8 cents per kilowatt hour price of producing electricity to light inefficient bulbs.
Working in partnerships with other organisations, the Commission subsidises the retail purchase price of the energy saving bulbs. Marketing of the campaign is being undertaken by the partner organisations with some funding support from the Commission.
A total of 12 energy-saving bulb promotions ran throughout New Zealand between October and December 2006. This equated to replacing around five standard bulbs with five energy-saving bulbs in every second home. This target helped to:
- save enough electricity to power up to 30,000 homes a year;
- cut New Zealand annual residential power bills by about $45 million;
- substantially reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that result from the use of electricity;
- reduce landfill, since CFLs last substantially longer than regular incandescent lamps.
The Commission estimates that installing three million energy-saving bulbs saved enough electricity to avoid emissions of 170,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Read full story
By Stefan Fassbinder / Published on Fri, 2008-10-24 13:59
The Australian Government wants to ban the use of incandescent lamps. The German Minister for the Environment approves and is thinking of taking up the idea. Replacing an incandescent bulb by a compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) does indeed save around 75 % of the energy consumed. But how feasible is it to try and replace all existing incandescents by CFLs? Are today’s CFLs up to the job, or are technical improvements still required? And what about the alternatives? Are there any other light sources of equally high-efficiency as CFLs but without the disadvantages?
Read full story
By Angelo Baggini / Published on Fri, 2008-09-26 09:00
Year: 2007
Policy Status: In force
On 20 February 2007, the Australian Environment Minister announced the
phase-out of all yellow incandescent bulbs by 2009 to curb greenhouse gas emissions implied by
inefficient bulbs' electricity requirement. The policy promoted CFLs to replace incandescent lightbulbs.
More details of this plan were released later in 2007. In December 2007, the government announced that working with the state and territory governments, the Australian government would gradually phase out all inefficient light bulbs, with the aim of full enforcement of new lighting standards by
2009 to 2010.
It is intended that the move to more efficient lighting will save more than
4 gigawatt hours of electricity (equivalent to decommissioning one of Australia's smaller coal-fired power stations),
4 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (equivalent to 1 million cars off the road) and more than
AUD 400 million per year - saving more than AUD 50 per year per household.
The phase-out will be implemented by adopting
Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for lighting products.
Any light bulb that has an efficiency level of less than 20 lumens per watt (subject to negotiation with industry) will be targeted. The first to be phased out will be traditional tear-shaped bulbs (known as general lighting service bulbs). Better quality halogen lights will continue to be available, but the least efficient of this group will be phased out.
Read full story
By Hans Nilsson / Published on Tue, 2007-07-31 07:00
Well, it is not only CFLs but also other technologies. So, it is not only technologies, but also operation, maintenance and design that need improvement to achieve energy efficient lighting across all sectors.
The European lamp manufacturers have suggested a plan (see diagram below) for gradual improvements, and mention among the technologies high efficiency halogen, LED, high-efficiency incandescent and, of course, CFLs.
Read full story
