Wed, Nov 9, 2011
Government Officials Discuss the Phase-Out
of Incandescent Light Bulbs by 2016 to Save
Over US$1.6 billion in Energy Costs
Paris, 9 November 2011 - Government representatives
from 18 countries in Southeast
Asia have voiced their support for the phasing
out of incandescent light bulbs. The move
to energy efficient lighting in the region
was the focus of a workshop organised by
the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF)
en.lighten project in Singapore. Such a
move could save the region an estimated
US$ 1.6 billion a year in energy costs.
En.lighten InitiativeOfficials
that participated in the regional event
included: representatives from the Ministries
of Energy, Environment, climate change negotiators,
national utilities, manufacturing, international
organizations and NGOs. They unanimously
agreed that the phase out of incandescent
lamps is one of the easiest ways to reduce
CO2 emissions and achieve significant energy
and financial savings.
The global transition
to efficient lighting involves an integrated
approach which includes minimum energy performance
standards, quality control mechanisms and
policies and procedures which address all
aspects of replacement products and practices,
including sound disposal and recycling.
At the Singapore event,
UNEP and partner organizations addressed
key regional stakeholders and explored opportunities
for governments to participate in a UNEP/GEF
led effort to transition to efficient lighting
as a key efficiency and climate mitigation
measure. The emphasis was on the phase-out
of general purpose incandescent light bulbs,
the most common type for consumers.
En.lighten is an initiative
funded by the Global Environment Facility
(GEF) and implemented by UNEP in partnership
with leading global lighting manufacturers
(Philips and OSRAM) and the National Lighting
Test Center of China (NLTC), to accelerate
market transformation of efficient lighting
technologies on a global scale.
UNEP has created a Centre
of Excellence on Efficient Lighting, consisting
of top international experts, to provide
guidance and technical support to countries
that partner with the en.lighten initiative
to develop national efficient lighting strategies
and plans.
The en.lighten global
partnership aims to restrict the global
supply of inefficient light bulbs and promote
market adoption of most efficient alternatives
by way of an "integrated approach"
including:
Technical support developed
by international lighting experts for countries
willing to implement national efficient
lighting strategies and join the en.lighten
partnership
Adoption of globally
harmonized minimum energy performance standards
(MEPS) leading to the phase-out of all incandescent
lamps by 2016
Establishing monitoring,
verification and enforcement programs in
countries to ensure compliance with global
standards and eliminate quality products
from the marketplace
Supporting countries
to establish comprehensive waste management
efforts including: collection, sustainable
disposal and/or recycling of spent lamps
Country support activities
such as communications best practices, policy
frameworks and innovative finance mechanisms
to encourage and support the transition
to efficient lighting
Country Lighting Assessments
have been generated for 100 countries around
the world to explain the significant savings
potential of the transition to more efficient
lighting.
In the eleven countries
from Southeast Asia analyzed, electricity
consumption is over 22 Twh producing about
16 million tons of CO2 per year. Phasing
out inefficient lighting in the region would
save around 16.5 Twh of electricity (an
average of nearly 75%) and slash 11.8 Mt
of CO2. This is equivalent to removing about
2.9 million vehicles off the road.
Indonesia could save
US$1 billion yearly in reduced electricity
bills. Around 8% of electricity consumption
in Indonesia originates from incandescent
lamps. This would save the equivalent emissions
of 2 million mid-sized cars per year.
Many countries in the
region have already begun initiatives to
transition to efficient lighting, yet an
integrated and more coherent approach is
needed in order to ensure that efficient
and good quality products are available
in the region.
The Philippines became
one of the first Asian countries to transition
to efficient lighting. In 2005, the Philippine
Efficient Lighting Market Transformation
Project (PELMATP) integrated various energy
efficient lighting programs and practices
into standards, labeling programs and promotional
activities. PELMATP successfully completed
its activities in June 2011 having met its
objectives on energy savings (7,366 GWH
equivalent) and greenhouse gas emission
reduction (3.98 million tonnes of CO2).
In 2010, the Malaysian
Government committed to reduce carbon intensity
by 40% by 2020. The phase-out of incandescent
lamps, to be implemented in two stages,
is a cornerstone of this policy. The first
phase, from January to December 2011, involves
halting all production, import and sales
of >100 W bulbs. The second phase, from
January 2012 until the end of 2013, will
see an end to the production, import and
sales of all other light bulbs.
Notes to Editors:
Over 20% of the electricity consumed in
Laos originates from incandescent lamps.
Electricity consumed by incandescent lamps
in Vietnam amounts to 2.5% of total electricity
consumption.
Using current economic and energy-efficiency
trends, it is projected that global demand
for artificial light will be 60% higher
by 2030 if no switch occurs
Lack of awareness about the energy saving
and financial benefits of efficient lamps
is a key deterrent for their market penetration
in developing countries
Incandescent lamps have already been phased-out
or are scheduled to be phased-out in most
OECD countries, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa,
Argentina, Senegal. Malaysia, Philippines
and other developing countries
The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated
in 2007, the total electricity consumption
due to lighting at 2650 Twh. This represents
almost 19% of global electricity use (15-17%
greater than nuclear or hydro power)
The total global GHG
emissions accrued to lighting electricity
consumption was estimated in 2005 by the
IEA at 1,900 MtCO2 of which grid based lighting
systems contribute to 1,528 MtCO2. This
is equivalent to approximately 8% of world
emissions or 70% of the world passenger
vehicle emissions
Up to 95% of the energy
emitted by incandescent lamps is heat, and
their efficiency is inherently low. In comparison,
incandescent bulbs last around 1,000 hours
which is significantly shorter than energy
saving lamps which can last up to 12,000
hours. CFLs can now also be dimmed.
Like all fluorescent
lamps, CFLs contain mercury, which complicates
their disposal. Mercury is a hazardous substance
in fluorescent lamps. en.lighten will support
countries in setting up sustainable end
of life approaches for spent lamps.
The average mercury
content in a CFL bulb is about 3 mg - roughly
the amount it would take to cover the tip
of a ball-point pen. By comparison, older
thermometers contain 500 mg of mercury -
the equivalent of more than 100 CFLs
Experts emphasize that
mercury is also emitted from coal-fired
power stations. Studies indicate that the
level of emissions from power stations linked
with lighting the world's old bulbs are
far higher than those linked with the disposal
of energy efficient bulbs.
+ More
UNEP Supports Restoration
of Meteorological Services in Sierra Leone
Fri, Nov 11, 2011
The United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) is supporting efforts to restore
weather and climate services in Sierra Leone
after the country's civil war.
Freetown (Sierra Leone), 11 November 2011
- Accurate and timely weather information
is taken for granted in much of the world,
but it is almost entirely absent in Sierra
Leone as much of the country's meteorological
infrastructure was lost during the decade-long
civil war.
UNEP Post Conflict and
Disaster Management BranchWithout an accurate
weather forecast, farmers must guess when
to plant and harvest their crops, communities
receive no warnings of extreme weather events
and understanding the impacts of climate
change on Sierra Leone is made very difficult.
Recognizing that an
effective meteorological service will have
multiple benefits for Sierra Leone, the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
is supporting efforts to restore the country's
weather and climate services.
In conjunction with
the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP), UNEP is funding and overseeing a
project which involves training for staff
at the Sierra Leone Meteorological Department
and installing six automatic weather stations
in different parts of the country.
The project will re-establish
basic infrastructure and maintenance procedures
for both real time weather forecasting and
climate applications, thereby reducing the
population's exposure to weather and climate
hazards and increasing their resilience
to future changes in climate.
Experts from the United
Kingdom Meteorological Office visited Sierra
Leone late last month to assess the sites
identified for the weather stations (at
Njala, Kenema, Lungi, Fourah Bay College,
Kabala) and for installing the central database
systems (at Lungi and Freetown).
Meetings were also held
with the Ministries of Transport and Agriculture,
the Food and Agricultural Organization,
and the Civil Aviation and Airport Authorities
on coordinating the installation of the
weather stations and maximising the cooperation
between UNEP, UNDP and the UK and Sierra
Leone Meteorological offices.
The project is enabling
staff from Sierra Leone's national meteorological
office to plan and develop their skills
and experience in partnership with their
counterparts from the UK.
A team from the UK Meteorological
office will return to Sierra Leone in early
2012 to complete the installation of the
weather stations and train five national
staff as weather technicians and five staff
as forecasters.
The project is part
of the United Nations' "Joint Vision
for Sierra Leone" which has a programme
focused on "Environmental Cooperation
for Peacebuilding", funded by the multidonor
trust fund and led by UNEP in collaboration
with UNDP, the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and the World Health Organization
(WHO).
