By Eric Akasa
A total of five percent of global electricity consumption could be saved every year through a transition to efficient lighting, resulting in annual worldwide savings of over US$ 110 billion.
A total of five percent of global electricity consumption could be saved every year through a transition to efficient lighting, resulting in annual worldwide savings of over US$ 110 billion.
These are among the main findings of
150 national assessments and a new global policy map on efficient lighting,
released Thursday by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and
partners.
In some cases, the assessments show that the financial savings and climate change mitigation benefits achieved by phasing out incandescent lighting in developing and middle-income countries are much more significant than previous studies suggested.
In some cases, the assessments show that the financial savings and climate change mitigation benefits achieved by phasing out incandescent lighting in developing and middle-income countries are much more significant than previous studies suggested.
The yearly savings in electricity of
the phase-out would be equivalent to closing over 250 large coal-fired power
plants, resulting in avoided investment costs of approximately US$ 210 billion.
Additionally, the 490 megatonnes
(Mt)
of CO2 savings per year is equivalent to the emissions of more than
122 million mid-size cars.
A group of 14 pilot countries will
seek to benefit from such opportunities as part of a Global Efficient Lighting
Partnerships Programme co-ordinated by
UNEP and partners – that will get underway next month.
Countries will receive support to develop national phase-out plans for inefficient lamps from experts provided by the en.lighten initiative: a public-private partnership led by UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in collaboration with Philips Lighting, Osram AG, and the National Lighting Test Centre of China.
A new global policy map also launched Thursday produced by the en.lighten initiative - shows in detail the status of efficient lighting policies in countries around the world.
The first resource of its kind in the lighting industry, the online map provides an overview of efficient lighting policies and successes, specifically in the residential sector. The information for each country covers standards, labels, supporting policies, product quality control activities and end-of-life policies, as well as a national ranking in terms of policy development.
.
Ratings will be regularly updated according to a country’s progress in achieving a sustainable transition to efficient lighting.
“One of the most cost-effective ways to contribute to the reduction of global carbon emissions is the phase-out of inefficient lighting technologies,” says Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director.
“Increasing numbers of countries are now achieving major financial savings, generating green jobs, and seeing reductions in mercury, sulphur dioxide, and other pollutants from power stations, through a switch to efficient lighting. As the Rio+20 negotiations continue, these new findings from the en.lighten initiative demonstrate that ambitious policies and partnerships must be seized if the social, economic, and environmental benefits of a transition to a low-carbon, resource efficient green economy are to be realized.” He adds
“The en.lighten initiative is a showcase for the benefits of public private partnership,” points out Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility.
“Working together, we are accelerating the understanding of technology options, establishing quality and certification protocols, and promoting sound policies for countries to achieve their climate mitigation goals. We need more private sector leaders to follow the example of Philips and Osram and join the GEF in advancing technologies to protect the environment and foster sustainable development.”
The assessments released todayat Rio+20 analyze the benefits of shifting from inefficient light bulbs for consumers, the industrial, commercial and street lighting sectors. Products cover a wide range of technologies including innovative LEDs.
The assessments were produced in conjunction with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and cover 150 countries including Russia, India, China, and Brazil.
“The cleanest, most secure type of energy is the one that is not needed, which is why the IEA attaches so much importance to energy efficiency in our 28 member countries and beyond,” Observes Maria Van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA)
“Lighting has a key role to play in improving energy efficiency, and continuing efforts to phase-out inefficient lighting products at a global level will enhance energy security and reduce global energy demand.” She adds.
The new assessments show that a country such as India could cut its lighting electricity consumption by over 35 percent, which is equivalent to avoiding the construction of 11 large coal-fired power plants and taking over 10 million cars off the road. Annual savings would be over US$2 billion.
Rio+20 host country Brazil could save over US$ 3 billion annually and reduce over 5 percent of national electricity consumption through a transition to energy efficient lighting.
Due to the technological shift towards innovative LED technology, there is a great opportunity for countries to leapfrog to this advanced lighting solution in national markets.
Although LED lamps are currently expensive to buy for individual consumers, bulk procurement by governments, tax incentives and subsidies are making them a viable alternative. LEDs do not contain any mercury and last up to ten times longer than their CFL counterparts.
"Lighting accounts for around 20 percent of global electricity consumption. Therefore, energy efficient products are key to a sustainable and green future. Green is lean," said Constantin Birnstiel, Chief Sustainability Officer, Osram AG. “As a long-term partner of the UN’s en.lighten initiative, OSRAM strongly supports the combat against climate change with energy-efficient lighting around the globe. Private partners can accelerate the success of global initiatives with their experiences and resources in individual countries.”
Countries will receive support to develop national phase-out plans for inefficient lamps from experts provided by the en.lighten initiative: a public-private partnership led by UNEP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in collaboration with Philips Lighting, Osram AG, and the National Lighting Test Centre of China.
A new global policy map also launched Thursday produced by the en.lighten initiative - shows in detail the status of efficient lighting policies in countries around the world.
The first resource of its kind in the lighting industry, the online map provides an overview of efficient lighting policies and successes, specifically in the residential sector. The information for each country covers standards, labels, supporting policies, product quality control activities and end-of-life policies, as well as a national ranking in terms of policy development.
.
Ratings will be regularly updated according to a country’s progress in achieving a sustainable transition to efficient lighting.
“One of the most cost-effective ways to contribute to the reduction of global carbon emissions is the phase-out of inefficient lighting technologies,” says Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director.
“Increasing numbers of countries are now achieving major financial savings, generating green jobs, and seeing reductions in mercury, sulphur dioxide, and other pollutants from power stations, through a switch to efficient lighting. As the Rio+20 negotiations continue, these new findings from the en.lighten initiative demonstrate that ambitious policies and partnerships must be seized if the social, economic, and environmental benefits of a transition to a low-carbon, resource efficient green economy are to be realized.” He adds
“The en.lighten initiative is a showcase for the benefits of public private partnership,” points out Monique Barbut, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility.
“Working together, we are accelerating the understanding of technology options, establishing quality and certification protocols, and promoting sound policies for countries to achieve their climate mitigation goals. We need more private sector leaders to follow the example of Philips and Osram and join the GEF in advancing technologies to protect the environment and foster sustainable development.”
The assessments released todayat Rio+20 analyze the benefits of shifting from inefficient light bulbs for consumers, the industrial, commercial and street lighting sectors. Products cover a wide range of technologies including innovative LEDs.
The assessments were produced in conjunction with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and cover 150 countries including Russia, India, China, and Brazil.
“The cleanest, most secure type of energy is the one that is not needed, which is why the IEA attaches so much importance to energy efficiency in our 28 member countries and beyond,” Observes Maria Van der Hoeven, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA)
“Lighting has a key role to play in improving energy efficiency, and continuing efforts to phase-out inefficient lighting products at a global level will enhance energy security and reduce global energy demand.” She adds.
The new assessments show that a country such as India could cut its lighting electricity consumption by over 35 percent, which is equivalent to avoiding the construction of 11 large coal-fired power plants and taking over 10 million cars off the road. Annual savings would be over US$2 billion.
Rio+20 host country Brazil could save over US$ 3 billion annually and reduce over 5 percent of national electricity consumption through a transition to energy efficient lighting.
Due to the technological shift towards innovative LED technology, there is a great opportunity for countries to leapfrog to this advanced lighting solution in national markets.
Although LED lamps are currently expensive to buy for individual consumers, bulk procurement by governments, tax incentives and subsidies are making them a viable alternative. LEDs do not contain any mercury and last up to ten times longer than their CFL counterparts.
"Lighting accounts for around 20 percent of global electricity consumption. Therefore, energy efficient products are key to a sustainable and green future. Green is lean," said Constantin Birnstiel, Chief Sustainability Officer, Osram AG. “As a long-term partner of the UN’s en.lighten initiative, OSRAM strongly supports the combat against climate change with energy-efficient lighting around the globe. Private partners can accelerate the success of global initiatives with their experiences and resources in individual countries.”
“Already many emerging and developing countries have committed to phase out inefficient lighting, thereby helping to create the first global industry sector transition to low-carbon innovative and sustainable solutions,” remarks Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs, Philips Lighting.
“As a public-private partnership,
the en.lighten initiative is putting the Green Economy and Global Environmental
Governance into practice, which helps to drive sustainable global development
and enhances people’s lives with light,” he adds
To date, almost 50 developing and emerging
countries supported by en.lighten have committed to phasing out incandescent
lamps by 2016. Work also begins next month in 14 new pilot countries to develop national plans towards phasing out incandescent lighting, as part of the UNEP en.lighten Global Efficient Lighting Partnerships Programme. The first national workshops will be held in July in Uruguay and Chile, followed by Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Morocco, Jordan, Philippines and Tunisia.
The government of Mexico will be a key ally for the Central and South American pilot countries, as the first country in the developing world to enact climate change legislation, including the phasing out of inefficient lighting.
“We took a leadership role and began our phase-out initiative earlier this year and it has been met with excellent results,” said Mr. Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada, Minister of the Environment and Natural Resources. “We are encouraged in moving forward based on the new lighting assessments which show that Mexico could save almost US$ 1 billion in less than six months by extending the call for efficient lighting to other sectors.”
2012 marks the United Nations International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, which aims to double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency by 2030.
For the lighting sector, this goal can be reached in just four years, if the target to phase out inefficient incandescent lamps worldwide by 2016 is met.
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