European Lamp Industry Calls for Cut in Annual CO2 Emissions from Domestic Lighting by More Than 60% by 2015
Europe’s lamp manufacturers have published details of a highly ambitious initiative, which, if adopted as legislation under the EU’s eco-design of energy using products directive, would lead to the phase-out of the least efficient lamps in the home from the European market by 2015. This would lead to a massive 60% reduction of CO2 emissions (23 Megatons annually) from domestic lighting and 7 billion euros gain for European consumers from saving 63,000 GWh of electricity.
The initiative by GE, Havells Sylvania, OSRAM, Philips and other members of the European Lamp Companies Federation (ELC) comes on the eve of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm Germany, where International Heads of State are examining how best to tackle climate change and promote energy efficiency internationally.
As part of the lamp industry’s efforts to promote the switch to more efficient lamps, the initiative calls on the EU to apply binding minimum energy efficiency requirements, supported by strict market surveillance, for Edison and Bayonet cap lamps as early as 2009. This would not only speed up the delivery of the EU Heads of State conclusions in March 2007 for lamps specifically, but make an immediate contribution to the EU’s wider climate and energy efficiency goals. The majority of the light sources impacted by these energy efficiency requirements would be traditional incandescent lamps. This proposal by the manufacturers will allow time for a switch to high-efficiency halogen and compact fluorescent lamps and the development of LED and highefficiency incandescent lamps.
Under the proposal, within 8 years from now, 85% of the total EU traditional incandescent lamp market of 2.1 billion lamps would need to meet new efficiency requirements. Starting with highest wattage lamps (over 100W) and gradually covering lower wattages (down to 25W) by 2015 the least efficient domestic lamps (energy efficiency classes E, F and G) would no longer be available.
To ensure continued quality and cost effectiveness for Europe’s consumers, all lamps placed on the EU market, including the energy saving alternatives, would also have to have a minimum rated lifetime of 1000 hours and comply with relevant International and European safety and quality standards. Specifications for lamps destined for special applications such as refrigerators, ovens and specialist medical equipment are also being reviewed.
