Phasing out incandescent light bulbs - phasing in fluorescent

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The light bulb industry is at a tipping point, according to this article about the move to phase out wasteful incandescent bulbs and phase in fluorescent ones.

European light-bulb makers are close to an agreement in principle to work together on phasing out energy-wasting incandescent bulbs for the consumer market, the chief executive of Royal Philips Electronics' lighting division said Monday.

...Earlier this month, Australia's government announced plans to ban incandescent bulbs within three years, while a California lawmaker has introduced a bill seeking to do the same in the state by 2012. Last year, Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, began actively promoting the bulbs.

CFLs on the market today are around three times as energy-efficient as incandescent bulbs, and last much longer. But even though they save money in the long run and are more environmentally friendly, consumers have been reluctant to adopt them for a variety of reasons, most importantly because they cost more per bulb.

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Comments

[Anonymous]

The article needs to distinguish its facts from its advertising claims

Long life - an advertising claim. Far too many compact fluorescents do not come NEAR living up to their lifetime claims - but who bothers to measure? You just buy new ones.

Better light - an advertising claim. Curiously, there are a number of studies online showing inferior light output, inferior spectral distribution, inferior spatial distribution, but the consumers raving about the improved quality. Placebo? New stuff syndrome?

Then there's factors like their non-performance in either cold or hot weather, sensitivity to being turned on/off too often (so much for conserving energy THAT way), mercury content..