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Spotlights And Downlighters Next In Line For Ridiculous EU Ban!!!
Spotlights and kitchen downlighters are next in line for an EU ban, following the axing of traditional incandescent lightbulbs.
New regulations being drawn up by the European Commission are expected to outlaw energy-inefficient ‘directional’ bulbs – more than 200 million of which are sold in Europe each year.
The move could cost British homeowners a fortune because low-energy replacements are more expensive and could require new fittings to be installed.
Thing of the past: Illuminated spotlights, like those seen in this kitchen, are to be banned by the EU.
More than 200 million are sold in Europe each year.
It comes a week after the ban on ‘non-directional’ incandescent bulbs began, with it becoming illegal to import bulbs of 100 watts or more.
The ban has been deeply unpopular as homeowners have been forced to buy compact fluorescent lamps which have been criticised for giving off a harsh, dim light and for taking too long to start up.
Some health experts have also raised concerns that energy efficient replacements can trigger migraines and skin complaints.
Now it has emerged that bulbs which focus and reflect light in a single direction are next in the firing line.
These include incandescent spotlights, commonly used as desk lamps; and many types of halogen reflector bulbs, which are found as downlights in kitchens and bathrooms.
Critics say the move is unfair, because low-energy alternatives for halogen spot lamps are too expensive. But EU bureaucrats say the move is necessary to cut carbon emissions.
They say energy-saving halogen bulbs use 25 per cent less electricity than normal types, while low-energy compact fluorescent lamps consume 75 per cent less power.
The new rules are expected to come before the European Parliament by mid 2010.
Giles Chichester, Conservative energy spokesman in the European Parliament, said: ‘While I am in favour of switching to low energy bulbs, I do not believe this should be compulsory measure.
‘There is a lack of alternatives available at the moment and it is going to leave consumers in a difficult position. I have a particular type of wall lights in my own home and cannot find energy efficient alternatives for them.
‘By making it compulsory for people to switch to low energy alternatives, they may have to change the fittings in their house to ensure they can still get bulbs.
‘Given the age of the house stock, fittings will need to be updated and changed, but the Government is rushing through this legislation before there is the means to achieve it.’
The first EU rules to phase out traditional incandescent light bulbs came into force last Tuesday.
Manufacturers and retailers are banned from importing bulbs of 100 Watts or above, and over the next three years the ban will be extended to 60, 40 and 25W bulbs.
Now the latest regulations will extend the ban to spotlights and reflective halogen bulbs.
Spotlights, including those used in desk lamps, are expected to be banned altogether – even though 150 million were sold across Europe last year.
The EU says they can be replaced by low energy halogen reflectors, but they cost nearly 20 times as much and last just five times as long.
Mains voltage halogen reflector bulbs, used in ceiling downlighters, kitchen and bathroom light fittings and many table and desk lamps, are also expected to be banned. Some 63 million of these were sold last year.
They will be replaced by high efficiency halogen bulbs, but these cost twice as much.
The EU regulations also call for greater use of new technology such as LED lamps, but these currently cost up to £40 for a single LED light bulb.
Peter Hunt, chief executive of the British Lighting Association, said: ‘We expect the least efficient bulbs will be banned, and there are now energy efficient halogen lamps that save around 30 per cent of energy used.
‘But we do not expect the regulations to take away people’s choice.’
Juergen Sturm, secretary general of the European Lamp Companies Federation, said: ‘From an industry point of view we would definitely oppose the phase-out of an entire technology group like halogen bulbs.
‘These bulbs have been hugely successful and many houses use them in their kitchens and hallways while they are also common in hotels.
Source: DailyMail
Sep 08 2009
Yes talk about an illogical ban…
A ban on light bulbs is extraordinary, in being on a product safe to use.
We are not talking about banning lead paint here
(and light bulbs don’t give out CO2 gas – power stations do!)
Something simple, cheap and safe is dumped in favour of something complex, expensive and mercury releasing.
Europeans, like Americans, choose to buy ordinary light bulbs around 8 to 9 times out of 10 (EU Commission and lighting industry data 2007-8)
Banning what people WANT gives the supposed savings that’s “good savings for them” – no point in banning what people don’t actually want to buy!
If new LED lights -or improved CFLs- are good,
people will buy them – no need to ban ordinary light bulbs (little point).
If they are not good, people will not buy them – no need to ban ordinary light bulbs (no point).
The arrival of the transistor didn’t mean that more energy using radio tubes were banned… they were bought less anyway.
Supposed savings don’t actually hold up, for many reasons:
See http://www.ceolas.net/#li13x onwards
about brightness, lifespan, power factor, lifecycle, heat effect of ordinary bulbs, and other referenced research
Effect on Electricity Bills
If energy use does indeed fall with light bulb and other proposed efficiency bans,
electricity companies make less money,
and they’ll simply push up the electricity bills to compensate
(especially since power companies often have their own grids with little supply competition)
Energy regulators can hardly deny any such cost covering exercise…
Energy?
There is no shortage of energy.
People -not politicians – pay for energy use, and if there was an energy shortage, the price rise would lead to more demand for
efficient products anyway – no need to legislate for it.
Emissions?
Does a light bulb give out any gases?
Power stations might not either:
Why should emission-free households be denied the use of lighting they obviously want to use?
Low emission households already dominate some regions, and will increase everywhere, since emissions will be reduced anyway
through the planned use of coal/gas processing technology and/or energy substitution.
A direct way to deal with emissions (for all else they contain too, whatever about CO2):
http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x
Some of the described measures need not take along time – even if emission lowerring speed was essentilal,
taxation is better than bans:
The Taxation alternative
Remember, this is simply a ban to reduce the amount of electricity consumption – not a normal ban, due to a danger to use.
Even for those who remain pro-ban, taxation to reduce consumption would therefore make much more sense, also since governments can
use the income to reduce emissions (home insulation schemes, renewable projects etc) more than any remaining product use causes
such problems.
A few pounds/euros/dollars light bulb tax that reduces the current sales (EU like the USA 2 billion sales per annum, UK 250-300
million pa)
raises future billions, and would retain consumer choice.
It could also be revenue neutral, lowering any sales tax on efficient products.
http://www.ceolas.net/LightBulbTax.html
However, taxation is itself unjustified, it is simply preferable to bans for all concerned.
Of course a ban is under way, but supposedly with reviews along the linr of the phase out process, according to the EU banning
documentation.
Maybe USA / Canada debate will be influenced?
Sep 08 2009
About the strange and unpublicised eu and industrial politics behind this ban
http://www.ceolas.net/#li1ax
Also,
the man responsible for the ban,
EU Energy Commisioner Piebalgs,
is now responding to protests,
defending his ban on his blog
by saying it “increases choice”….
See his blog entry
)
http://blogs.ec.europa.eu/piebalgs/lighting-the-way-to-the-future/
(and comments
Sep 08 2009
Hey Peter, it’s obvious that all of the ridiculous (increasing) bans are created purely to frustrate and infuriate the public whilst imposing more ‘control’ (the same tactic used by the Soviets throughout their satellite states during their communist era) rather than implemented for any justifiable or intelligent reason. Thanks for commenting. ~ Maverick
May 03 2010
You know what? I am 40 and I live in Poland, a previously communist country. So I can tell you, this kind of governing is pure communism. Telling people what they have to do and banning things they want. This is exactly what I remember from the 70’s and 80’s. Believe me, I know what I’m saying. It starts with “saving the planet” but it will end with, say, checking your houses to see if you do not have more than four 25W traditional bulbs too close together which could bypass the rule of max 100 W, as the EU wants today.
Do you know that in the 80’s in the communist Romania, Nicolae Caucescu (the local dictator) banned light bulbs over 25 W to be used at home to make “national savings”? Look it up in google, before it gets too late.
They ban mercury based thermometers and stuff, but they allow hundreds of thousands of “modern” light bulbs, which also give just crappy light, so people don’t want to buy them. If they were so good, only idiots would like to pay more for energy. But somehow people don’t want them, so EU now tries to make us buy them.
May 15 2010
Andrew… thanks for commenting and you are absolutely correct. As it happens, I made several trips to Poland in the 70’s and 80’s and as a result am very familiar with how the communist system worked. I remember Polish people telling me that the system was designed to create frustration (and it did). To dominate regular people with authorities harrassing and falsely accusing them (note: increasing amounts of ordinary people in Europe are now being stopped and questioned on the streets under the new ridiculous Terrorist Laws!).
In fact, I remember drinking a coffee in the old square in Warszawa, when five cops/secret service in civilian clothes stopped some peaceful young people dressed as Punks just because they were ‘different’ and started bullying them for nothing. They were really giving them a hard time and I then thought to myself… “How lucky were are in the West, with our liberties, self-expression and freedom of speech.” Well, not anymore. Europe is quickly turning into a tyranical state right in front of our very eyes. Actually, I was really upset when Poland joined the EU because my thought was “Shit, they got them too!” Spread the word Andrew – that’s the only way we can stop the Tyrants, the Banksters and the New World Order from turning the entire world population into slaves… and it all starts with understanding the catalyst… 9/11.2001.
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