All of EU to switch off energy inefficient lights within three years

Following on from Australia's pledge to phase out the usage of incandescent bulbs, the 27 leaders of the European Union have decided that all member states will have to use energy efficient lighting before 2010. The switchover, which will affect all of the EU's 470 million+ citizens, was developed with the aim of meeting targets to reduce energy usage by 20 percent by 2020 (say that three times fast): to that end, a commission will be accepting proposals for enabling the switchover "for office and street lighting to be adopted by 2008 and on incandescent lamps and other forms of lighting in private households by 2009." No doubt there will be some that attempt to lump this decision into the euroskeptic "straight bananas" category, although the chair of the 27 nation summit, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, stated that this won't be a case of people being forced to throw out existing energy inefficient bulbs, "but people should start looking at what's in the shops." Hopefully anti-EU political groups will put their views aside this time in order that this switchover goes smoothly, although something tells us lobbyists won't be the biggest concern when it comes to changing bulbs in houses and offices across 27 different countries.

[JoshLowry @ Mar 10th 2007 4:56PM]

Good for them. I think they will have a hard time getting them into everyone's homes. Like the article says, some people don't feel they are quite bright enough yet. Ten years from now, do they get fined if they want the brighter bulbs being sold in back alleys?



- Josh


Where's your head at? - http://www.StateOfBrain.com

[John Doe @ Mar 11th 2007 3:27AM]

Some people are also idiots. This falls into the realm of I NEED more power, because....no real reason. Just because I deserve it. I'm sorry but people better start realizing the we are in for some HARD. DAMN FUCKING HARD choices in the next 10-20 years. As the reality of what is happening to this planet starts to sink in to the thick headed morons of this world as they see the climate shift before their very eyes, we are all going to have to start giving some things up. And frankly lights that are a little dimmer is going to be the least of our worries on the sacrifices. Oh boo hoo it’s not as bright as traditional bulbs. Cry me a bone dry river bed. But you guys just go ahead. Keep telling yourself its all a mass conspiracy by those commi, pinko, tree hugging, liberal scientists. I just hope you are around in 80 years to see just how unbelievably wrong you are. Hell be around in 20. When the weather that is traditionally in Cali in the Winter migrates to Minnesota....yah. Stick around.

[Scott @ Mar 10th 2007 5:10PM]

Utility companies will not reduce the amount of electricity they are producing -- they will just use it elsewhere. And carbon emissions will continue to rise, unless we in the western world expect Africa to stay in the dark.

That's ok -- I'm one of the ghastly politically-incorrect folks that doesn't buy into the "consensus" on global warming. One day the world will start cooling again, and we can go back to the ice age catastrophe scenarios.

[Matias Korhonen @ Mar 10th 2007 5:18PM]

There is no "consensus" but there is a consensus (among scientists at least).

[bob @ Mar 10th 2007 5:46PM]

As always, the public are a decade behind science, and it won't be cooling in your lifetime mate, not by a long shot. As regards utility companies, I would usually agree with you, since sporadic changes in energy usage are unpredictable and therefore cannot be moderated for on a long term basis, but this new EU legislation, however, will present a more distinguished (albeit small) reduction in energy usage.

[GhostDoggy @ Mar 10th 2007 5:13PM]

Sure, its nice on paper, but I would like to see how they will inforce it. Are they going to inspect every home, or just assume they will all go away naturally (end of life without new supply)?

[kieran @ Mar 11th 2007 6:02PM]

There is absolutely no need to have EU inspectors checking out peoples bulb usage in their homes. Legislation implies that it would be illegal to sell inefficient bulbs when that legislation would take effect.

[Yogi @ Mar 10th 2007 5:14PM]

Now if they would only get off their collective 27 butts and take a stab and something that's a REAL problem. Like China's coal plants. China's producing a new coal plant every 10 days. Every 10 days.

According to the New York Times ( http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/11/business/worldbusiness/11chinacoal.html?ex=1307678400en=e9ac1f6255a24fd8ei=5088partner=rssnytemc=rss ), "The increase in global-warming gases from China's coal use will probably exceed that for all industrialized countries combined over the next 25 years, surpassing by five times the reduction in such emissions that the Kyoto Protocol seeks."

So go ahead and get a happy fuzzy feeling while doing absolutely nothing productive.

[edfilippini @ Mar 10th 2007 5:18PM]

They sell 'em at Home Depot. No need for the government to do anything. If you want one, buy one.

[Scott @ Mar 10th 2007 5:42PM]

Consensus with or without quotes cannot replace science. When the models that can supposedly predict global climate for the next hundred years get the next five years right, let me know. (And where are the models from five years ago?)

[Colin @ Mar 10th 2007 5:20PM]

What happens to all the mercury buildup from using CFL bulbs?

Off to the store to stock up on incandescents.

[Paul @ Mar 10th 2007 5:20PM]

I wonder if this includes decorative lighting? I cant imagine Harrods being lit up with with low energy bulbs!

[karlthebaer @ Mar 10th 2007 5:38PM]

When I think about replacing all of my incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs* I physically shutter. Doesn't anyone else feel that fluorescent bulbs steal your soul? Besides being warmer, CFB's actually strobe at a very high rate of speed. Fast enough that your eyes don't notice it, but your brain does. Not to mention the buzzing sound of a going ballast and the delay time between when you flip the switch and when the light comes on. I'm all for energy conservation, but there are better ways to go about it that don't affect the quality of my personal space as much. For instance using more natural light by designing houses to take advantage of the sun. Check out this company for some pretty cool light gathering tech: www.parans.com As for me, fluorescent bulbs will stay in the garage, and the basement. You can have my incandescent bulbs when you pry them from my warm dead hands.

* I have yet to try GE's new high efficiency incandescent lighting, but I'll admit that I'm a little skeptical. How much more will the cost? How quickly will they burn out? Will they patent it, and if so, will people be willing to go for a proprietary light bulb? I'll look for them and find out for myself.

[fraggle_rocker @ Mar 11th 2007 4:15PM]

all bulbs strobe, not just CFB's All stobe fast enough for your eyes not to notice..

[Scott @ Mar 10th 2007 5:54PM]

bob, there was a cooling trend roughly between 1945 and 1975. This was the time in which climate scientists predicted a global freeze. My life began roughly at the beginning of the current warming trend, and I'd bet we'll see another dip in the next 50 - 75 years. And I'd bet when that dip does come around, the current Chicken Littles will be there to claim credit for the reversal of the warming. The sun is far too modest to demand recognition.

[John P. @ Mar 10th 2007 5:47PM]

Not to plug anything, but the Commercial Electric CFLs that home Depot sell have worked out pretty well, with instantaneous-on time. And I think HD is now carrying different color temp bulbs, so you can get closer to that incandescent warmth.

[bob @ Mar 10th 2007 6:15PM]

Such a short time scale is irrelevent in geological time. Bogus arguments such as these have been used by non-scientists before and disproved without so much as a backward glance from climate scientists, but linger in the minds of the naive. The media would have you believe the 'jury is still out' on anthropogenically induced global warming, as this provides more entertaining stories, but this is simply not the case among scientists, with whom there is an overwhelming consensus (which you gallantly mock).

[Charles R Hamilton @ Mar 10th 2007 6:00PM]

@Scott
You actually believe the sun is responsible for warming the Earth? That's crazy talk I tell you. the only way we can save this planet is if we listen to the all knowing Goracle. He will lead us out of this heat wave. He already made February one of the coolest on record.

[LS @ Mar 10th 2007 6:03PM]

ahh another EU attempt to look like they are doing something when in fact they aren't. You've got to admire the political tactic that is "scream and shout about the little things as you make everything the public's fault, whilst you systematically ignore or make a mess of the really really important issues".

Whilst I do, and have done for some time, realise that there is a wasteful use of electricity on street lighting (not all street lighting mind you, but lots of it), changing people's light bulbs will do precisely nowt when people's homes are insulated by wallpaper, leaking coal, gas or nuclear powered heat through the walls, windows and roof. And besides which, one would assume industry is by far the worse polluter in this world, meaning the amount of energy needed to clean up after it to be simply phenomenal.

But of course, blame the public because it's easier (and damn those industry lobbyists are powerful). At least you get to look like an activist in the process.

Nice and easy and clean.

[marv @ Mar 10th 2007 6:12PM]

I think they should just make it illegal for stores to sell incandescent bulbs. If people can't buy them anymore, they will have no choice but to buy efficient light bulbs. In the end it will just work itself out.

[bob @ Mar 10th 2007 6:19PM]

marv, I think this is the likely approach.

[purpledog @ Mar 11th 2007 9:28PM]

What about floodlights for outdoor use? My house is on an acre and needs to be lit at night. What about dimmable lights? Gas based bulbs (to my knowledge) only have two states on and off.

[L3 @ Mar 10th 2007 6:20PM]

I am phasing in the newest, nice color CFs every few months.

And I will do the same with LEDs in five years.

I have heard enough from Hollywood and Al. Enjoy the freedom of your opinion, we have a great country. Just quit forcing it on ME.

[TL @ Mar 10th 2007 6:35PM]

Your map of EU is incorrect.

[Dan @ Mar 10th 2007 7:04PM]

He's right, you know. Norway and Iceland are not members of the EU, and Bulgaria and Romania are conspicuously absent.

[travis @ Mar 10th 2007 6:44PM]

ok, but flourescent lights suck. they give me headaches. i'll live in the dark before i get rid of incandescent.

[trev @ Mar 10th 2007 6:53PM]

Dear God, they actually take a positive step forward and most of you are bashing them based on your (not necessarily undeserved frustration) over other issues. This is a good thing, it also happens to be one of the easiest and and least painful steps for the public to take on board with regards to energy saving. It could also potentially save a big chunk of energy too!

As for enforcing it, I think going into peoples homes and checking is rediculous. However, getting major retailers to agree to sell only energy saving bulbs seems more realistic.

[tplatt @ Mar 10th 2007 7:10PM]

I don't think we should be "bashing" people because of their desire to help the environment. I just think there are easier, more effective means. Such as what you may find at http://www.stopglobalwarming.org or http://www.neutralclimate.com

Good luck in your personal efforts.

[LJKelley @ Mar 10th 2007 7:13PM]

Norway and Iceland are not part of the EU, but they are part of the EEA. Depending on the scope of this agreement these laws may apply to Norway and Iceland.

I welcome any reduction to greenhouse gases, saving the consumer money (by using less electricity), and saving are planet. Regardless if you believe in Global Warming or not, pollution is not a good thing. Would you like your house filled with CO2, smog or smoke? Probably not, so lets not do it to our plane either.

http://www.startblue.net

[Kame_boy @ Mar 10th 2007 9:04PM]

I guess the "government" in the EU doesn't need to go to such lengths.
As someone said previously, if retailers only sell the energy efficient bulbs, thats what people will buy by the time their incandecent bulbs burn out.

Much can be said about scientist certainty about global warming. Some say its hype and bogus, others say it's for real and it's out to get us. However, i know for sure the use of resources seen today is NOT something natural that has been going on for thousands of years. We can let scientists argue all they want about the level of damage it's doing to the planet, but i don't think it's right to root for the lower end of the scale just to satisfy our egoistic and polluting consciousness.
On one hand there's wasting resources like never before and just not caring about it, and perhaps it will be fine, perhaps not (the later if you ask me). On the other hand there's doing a small effort in choosing more wisely, but the potential reward for doing this is far greater than for doing nothing.

So please continue to believe exactly what you want about global warming, but FFS!, do NOT invite people to sit down and do nothing.

[Thomas Wrobel @ Mar 10th 2007 9:48PM]

Could agree more with this.
Energy Efficiant bulbs are just so much better then regular lights.
Sure, they take ahile to warm up, but they are -*vastely*- more efficiant in energy use. Its not a slight thing, you could have a whole cluster of them and it will still save power.

And, of course, the fact they last a decade rather then a month helps the enviroment at both ends.

Its funny people dont light the "light" they give off, as its much closer to natural light then normal bulbs.
Guess humans have got so used to limited-spectrum yellow light, that white-light seems unusual.

Anyway, Horray for the EU making a good decision for a change.
I hope plans for phaseing out other outdated inefficiant devices goes ahead.

(oh, and forcing companys to turn their skyscrapers lights off at night).


"Consensus with or without quotes cannot replace science. When the models that can supposedly predict global climate for the next hundred years get the next five years right, let me know. (And where are the models from five years ago?)"


When a volcano erupts, its easier to tell "your in danger", then it is to predict precise lava flows.
The fact we cant predit weather more then 5 days in advance, does not mean we cant state with certainity that having more Co2 in the air will, on average, make the planet hotter.
Co2 goes up and down in cycles, but the manmade level currently doubles the natural peak, meaning its at its highest in 400,000 years.
Nature certainly is to blame as well as man, but that dosnt mean we arnt making it much much worse.

[bob @ Mar 10th 2007 11:06PM]

I think people are still emotionally attached to the warm colours of a fire after the sun sets, as it provides a sense of security and allows you to relax. As regards flickering, I have never experienced such problems myself.

Quite frankly I don't see what the problem is anyway, it doesn't take a huge effort to get a warm coloured lamp shade, and given the impending boom in energy saving light bulb sales, there will no doubt be more money put into researching methods of producing warmer looking light with them.

[Thomas Wrobel @ Mar 11th 2007 9:32AM]

Thats a good point actualy, I didnt think of the sunset angle.
Given that most people are out during the day, and back at their homes in the evenings would mean their bodys probably are expecting sunset-like light more then white.
But yes, shades are hardly any effort in the scheme of things.

As for flickering, that only happened to me when I once had a leaking/damaged bulb. I guess the gas wasnt dense enough to form a continious current.

[Matt @ Mar 11th 2007 12:52AM]

There is no fluorescent bulb that can deliver full-spectrum lighting like the GE Edison long-life halogens I use at home.

That said, I'm always looking for change for the better. When then can give me an LED bulb without a "refresh rate", and with the same sunlight-approximating spectrum, I'll switch. Nothing is even close yet.

[Sasha S. @ Mar 11th 2007 4:23AM]

This is a first EU-Wide but significant step. We should all use energy more efficiently - after all why spend more on energy when you can do the same for less?
Here in Netherlands even before this legislation incandescant bulbs were in decline - judging from the shelf-space devoted to one or another in the shops. I have switched to quick-start CFLs 2 years ago and I find them to be good replacement. However I still gave several halogen spot-lights and i assume those could be replaced by LED's in few years.
All appliencies sold in EU (even cars) must carry EU energy label - very usefull when making your choice in the shop:

http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/efficientproducts/energylabel/

Congratulations to Engadget for paying attention to energy efficiency.

[ciprian @ Mar 11th 2007 6:23AM]

Nice map, but where is Romania and Bulgaria? There are 27 countries in Eu, not 25.

[MacroEQ @ Mar 11th 2007 7:51AM]

About time... this is what the EU should be doing and not squabbling like school children as they usually do.

They should add the banning of plastic bags to the list and also force supermarkets to use recyclable and bio-degradable packaging.

P.S 10 out of 10 for Engadget getting a map of the EU and not Europe (lol).

[simon @ Mar 11th 2007 9:27AM]

Moronic politicians. I hope all the anti-EU groups destroy this shit.

Stupid system, their idea to fix problems is to have more and bigger government, it is the complete reverse to what is true. Lying bastards. Their idea of free trade is to control trade with thousands of pages of laws. How can anybody be fooled by these power hungry scumbags?

On the positive side I guess they could be doing even stupider things. The best politicians are the ones that don't do anything.

[LBalsam @ Mar 11th 2007 10:03AM]

I am visually handicapped. I find fluorescents and most LED lights painful. I can see the flickering and it is very annoying and gives me a headache.

The new lights need to be brought up to the refresh rate of incandescent light bulbs before even considering this kind of forced changeover.

It is easy to say this is what everyone ought to do, a lot harder if the forced change makes your life miserable.

[sbull.net @ Mar 11th 2007 1:17PM]

Do halogen light bulbs count as incandecent?

Overall I think the decision is a positive and it will be extremely interesting to see how much energy consumption decreases with the change over.

[centralnjbill @ Mar 11th 2007 1:53PM]

Regarding the comment on mercury, well all that mercury goes into the ground at landfills and poisons future generations, silly! But who cares? We all feel better for being "green" and saving fossil fuels.

[Rich @ Mar 11th 2007 2:59PM]

The new CFL bulbs are VASTLY better than ones from just a couple of years ago.

The color is great now (you even have a choice of cool/soft/daylight) and the brightness is even better than incandescent.

I still have two major problems with them, though:

1. While they do turn on instantly, they only come on at 50% brightness. It takes them about a minute to reach full brightness.

2. You can't dim them.

I strongly support governments encouraging CFL adoption, but until they fix those two things, I strongly object to anyone "forcing" me to switch.

[Nikolay Stanevski @ Mar 11th 2007 3:02PM]

On the illustration at the top-right corner you forgot to include Bulgaria and Romania to the EU. They become members as of 01.01.2007

[Colin @ Mar 11th 2007 3:10PM]

470 million residents...what is that? 100 million homes? X 10 lightbulbs per house...Thats alot of mercury.

[Clive @ Mar 13th 2007 10:14AM]

I have used CFBs for a long time now but I am not sure making incandescent bulbs illegal is a good idea. Light bulbs get broken all the time but CFBs contain mercury. If a CFB is broken will you have to call for a hazardous material clean up crew? Will you have to disclose said broken bulb when you sell your house? These bulbs don’t last near as long as they claim and they have to be taken to a special facility for disposal because they can go in your regular recycling, thus negating any carbon savings because I have to drive my car to the disposal facility. I think they have a lot of planning to do before they really make this happen. I am not sure that the trade off of the inevitable mercury contamination is worth the reduction in carbon emissions. We can adapt to global warming but we cannot adapt to the mercury poisoning that will inevitably end up in our food supply.

[Matt Hadder @ Mar 14th 2007 12:34AM]

You get what you pay for.

If you want quality CFL's buy an OTT-Lite.
They don't flicker while on, give much nicer/natural white light and greatly reduce eye strain for reading or around the computer.

Some stores have a display set up where you can compare them to incandescent bulb light. It gives you an idea, but the pay out is no more headaches from shimmering CFL's or eyestrain from hot-orange incandescent bulb light.

Try an OTT-Lite for a week, you'll never go back.