Light Bulb Ban Good for the Environment and Bill Payers (St Ives Liberal Democrats)

St Ives Liberal Democrats <trevorandrea131@aol.com>

Light Bulb Ban Good for the Environment and Bill Payers

August 28, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by Sir Graham Watson MEP

Graham Watson MEP Lib Dem MEP Graham Watson has welcomed the first phase of the ban on incandescent light bulbs citing evidence that it will cut almost 5 million tonnes of CO2 and save the average household £55 per year.

On Tuesday 1 September, incandescent light bulbs greater than 85 watts will be taken out of circulation, although shops will still be able to sell their current stocks. All incandescent bulbs will be removed from the market by 2012 to pave the way for energy efficient lighting.

Research commissioned by Together.com, an organisation part of the Climate Group, estimated that when the change over is complete, cuts in the UK's CO2 emissions will be the equivalent of taking 2 million cars off the road per year.

There will also be instant savings on household electricity bills. A 15 watt energy efficient bulb produces as much light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb, but lasts around 8 times longer and annual saving of £2.62 per bulb result.

Graham Watson heralded the ban as a positive step in the right direction;

"Europe-wide savings produced by this ban will negate the need for the equivalent of almost six Hinkley B nuclear power stations; plus all the toxic waste and de-commissioning costs that come with them.

"Increasing energy efficiency is crucial to cutting CO2 emissions and protecting the environment. But this is an example of how coordinated responses to environmental challenges can also provide immediate help to hard-up households."

He also issued a reminder;

"Energy saving light bulbs contain mercury, and need to be disposed of properly. Many retailers will do this for free, and I strongly urge people to take them up on the offer."

Editors Notes;

UK Data commissioned by the Together campaign and conducted by GFK NOP 2007

• Around 440 million light bulbs in the UK have yet to be switched. (Estimated from Market Transformation Programme Data and Environmental Change Unit, University of Oxford Report)

• Nearly 5m tonnes of CO2 could be saved annually. This assumes an annual saving of 11kg per light bulb based on replacing an average 67W traditional bulb with an average 15W Compact Florescent Lamp (CFL) for 592 hours of use per year. A grid electricity carbon factor of 0.572kg CO2 per KWh is applied. (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Carbon Emissions Reduction Reform Data)

• £55 saved on electricity bills per household. Assumes an annual saving of £2.62 per bulb and all compatible light bulbs are changed from an average 67W traditional bulb to an average 15W CFL. Average annual use of 592 hours per year and an electricity price of 8.5p per KWh are applied. (Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform).

• £1.2 billion in energy cost savings every year. Based on replacing 441,600,000 light bulbs (See above).

• Nearly 2 million cars off the road. Assumes the average car on the road emits 2.57 tonnes of CO2 per year (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and Department for Transport Data).

The European Commission estimates that switching to energy saving bulbs will save EU citizens close to 40m terawatt-hours (roughly equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of Romania, 11m European households, or the yearly output of ten 500MW power stations)

For comparative purposes;

• Last year, Hinkley B Nuclear Power Station generated 860MW of electricity.

• The proposed Hinkley C Nuclear site is expected to have a capacity of 1,600MW.

• Oldbury Nuclear Power Station generates 600MW of electricity per year.

• Langage Gas Power Station in Plymouth is expected to produce 885MW of electricity per year.

Ends.