EC Issues FAQ on Phasing Out Conventional Light Fixtures
September 1, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
The EC adopted a regulation on March 18, 2008 about non-directional household lamps, which would replace, between 2009 and 2012, energy -inefficient bulbs with more efficient alternatives, such as improved incandescent bulbs with halogen technology and compact fluorescent lamps. The EC's 2008 regulation expanded upon the 2005 Ecodesign Directive (2005/32/EC).
Schedule of Phase-Outs
Inefficient lamps (conventional incandescent bulbs and conventional halogen bulbs) will be phased out gradually from the EU market starting in September 2009 and finishing in September 2012, as described below:
- All inefficient non-clear (non-transparent, also known as pearl or frosted) lamps will be phased out as from September 2009. Non-clear lamps will be required to be class A according to the EU lamp energy label (or slightly less efficient for certain lamps, such as those with an external envelope).
Considering currently available technologies, in practice this means that non-clear lamps will need to be compact fluorescent lamps, which save about 80% energy compared to conventional incandescent lamps, or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) - for the moment, only with quite low light output.
Consumers who would prefer another lamp technology can buy clear (transparent) lamps.
- Inefficient clear (transparent) lamps will be phased out progressively, starting with the highest wattage (100-watt conventional incandescent bulbs and above) in 2009.
- From September 2009, lamps equivalent in light output to 100-watt transparent conventional incandescent bulbs and above will have to be at least class C (improved incandescent bulbs with halogen technology instead of conventional incandescent bulbs).
- By the end of 2012, the other wattage levels will follow and will also have to reach at least class C. The most commonly used bulbs, the 60-watt, will remain available until September 2011, while 40-watt and 25-watt bulbs will remain until September 2012.
Improved incandescent bulbs with halogen technology for luminaires using conventional incandescent bulbs are already available on the market, however their use is not yet widespread.Large manufacturers have them in their product portfolio (such as "HaloLux Classic ES," "EcoClassic30" and "MasterClassic EcoBoost" halogen bulbs).
EU Committed to Fighting Climate Change
The EU's decision to phase out conventional incandescent bulbs is part of its commitment to achieving its objectives in the fight against climate change, including the reduction of primary energy use by 20% compared to business as usual by 2020. Requirements on the energy efficiency of products are a cornerstone of the European Community policy for achieving this target.
Lighting may represent up to a fifth of a household's electricity consumption. Moreover, there is a four- to five-fold difference between the energy consumption of the least efficient and the most efficient lighting technologies available on the market.
This means that upgrading the lamps in a household could reduce its total electricity consumption by up to 15% and easily save €50 a year, taking into account the purchased cost of new lamps. (This estimate assumes 20 lamps in a household, which are initially all conventional incandescent lamps and changed to compact fluorescent lamps of equivalent light output.)
Thanks to the phase-out regulation, EU citizens are expected to save close to 40 terawatt hours - about the electricity consumption of 11 million European households or the equivalent of the yearly output of ten 500-megawatt power stations) and reduce CO2 emissions by about 15 million tons of per year. The regulation is also expected to reinject about €5 to €10 billion into the EU economy.
Contents of EC's FAQ on the Phase-out
The table of contents from the EC's FAQ on phasing out conventional incandescent bulbs is provided below:
I. Timing and ambition, statistics, impact on stakeholders
Timing and level of ambition
I.1 Political motivation for the phase-out
I.2 Phase-out details, presentation of available alternatives
I.3 Ambition level for frosted lamps
I.4 Ambition level for clear lamps
I.5 Proportionality of the phase-out
I.6 Alleged intrusion of Brussels into citizens' private lives
I.7 Relation to Emissions Trading System
Statistical analysis of ambition level
I.8 The quantity of savings compared to other sectors and countries
I.9 Market share of different bulb types
I.10 Assumptions on future light bulb market shares in forecasting
Industry issues
I.11 Role of the lamp industry
I.12 Risk of shortages
I.13 Risk of factory closure
I.14 Financial support for industry to convert production lines
Consumer issues
I.15 Describing lamp performance in lumens rather than watts
I.16 Risk of consumer "hamstering" of incandescents
I.17 Communicating the phase-out to consumers
II. Legal framework
II.1 Scope and provisions
II.2 Special lamps (antique lamps, appliance lamps, etc.)
II.3 About the Ecodesign Framework Directive (2005/32/EC)
II.4 Scientific evidence used and stakeholder consultation
II.5 Adoption procedure
II.6 No impact on lamps already in store and shops
II.7 Lamps sold incorporated into other products
II.8 Bayonet cap not to be replaced by Edison cap
III. Compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) issues
III.1 Advantage of using CFLsIII.2 Summary of CFL performance issues and alternative lamps
CFL performance issues
III.3 Quantity of light
III.4 Lifetime
III.5 Switching frequency
III.6 Dimmability
III.7 Starting and warm-up times
III.8 Shape and light quality
III.9 Compatibility with luminaires
III.10 Working in cold temperatures
CFL cost issues
III.11 Price
CFL environmental impact issues
III.12 Ecobalance over the life cycle
III.13 No need to remain on to save energy
III.14 Mercury content and the environment
III.15 Power factor
III.16 Is the heat from incandescent bulbs useful?
CFL health issues
III.17 Effect on light-sensitive people
III.18 No effect on epilepsy and migraine
III.19 Electromagnetic fields
III.20 Mercury content and health
III.21 Can compact fluorescent lamps make people ill?
III.22 Light spectrum and public health (UV, hormones, cancer, etc.)
III.23 Safety issues and signs of end of life
IV. Other EU measures on household lamps and lighting
IV.1 Legislation on other lighting products
IV.2 Revising the lamp energy label
Further Information
For more information, see the EC's web page on the Eco-design of energy-using products and its web page on European lamps become more energy efficient.
Source: European Commission (EC).