EU ends the reign of the old fashioned high energy use light bulbs

EU-Digest

EU ends the reign of the old fashioned high energy use light bulbs

Today the curtains fell in the EU on the old fashioned light bulbs people have become so used to over the years but which have not been very cost effective. It is all part of a three-year scheme to rid the whole of the European Union of the traditional incandescent bulbs first put on the market by Thomas Edison in 1879. The new bulbs, such as compact florescent lights (CFL) can save up to 80 percent of the energy used by the old fashioned lights in homes. They are also described as lasting several times longer than the bulbs they will replace.

So even though the new bulbs cost more, the European Commission stresses that consumers will save money: between 25 to 50 euros a year, depending on the size of the household.

And while shops will be allowed to sell off their remaining stocks, as of today there will be no new orders of non-transparent frosted bulbs -- deemed particularly inefficient -- or the standard clear 100-watt bulbs. The less powerful clear bulbs will be progressively banned until all traditional lights disappear from shops in 2012. It's all part of the EU's bigger plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20 percent by 2020. Judging from the orders received from Osram, one of the biggest light makers in Europe, people have already started buying more of the new generation bulbs.