AUSTRALIA To Ban Incandescent Bulbs

[Richard Bell]

SYDNEY, Australia -- The Australian government on Tuesday announced plans to phase out incandescent light bulbs and replace them with more energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs across the country.

Legislation to gradually restrict the sale of the old-style bulbs could reduce Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by 4 million tons by 2012 and cut household power bills by up to 66 percent, said Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull.


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/s ... /20070220/

I think this is a brilliant idea, if you'll pardon the pun.

Incandescent bulbs are basically heat generators. Most of the energy consumed by them is transformed into heat. Light just happens to be a useful by-product.

[Bill Sikes]

I read that in today's Telegraph. I wonder how much difference it will make...

people may leave the lights on more, especially as after a short while these

lights take ages to "warm up". The price of them is coming down, too, so they

may get chucked uot on a more regular basis than now, partly because of

the "warm up" issue; this would reduce environmental savings further. OTOH,

if the bulb itself is available separately from the electronic gubbins (much like

a conventional fluorescent tube) that would improve matters.

In the UK, these bulbs are available at retail for £1 each. I've got some, but

I must say I far, far prefer the light from incandescent lamps (clear, not the

"pearl" ones). I use them in areas where they are likely to be left on a lot,

where no-one is likely to be for long.

[RedGlitter]

Flourescent lighting often causes headaches and a sick feeling in people.

[spot]

I'm sure that the current fluorescent fittings are nearing obsolescence as well as tungsten filament lighting. In another ten years solid-state lighting (an array of LEDs) might become the standard home fitting. They're more efficient than either of the others, they don't flicker at all, they have an immense unit lifetime and they have a very tuneable colour balance.

[abbey]

Well done Australia, lets hope other countries follow suit.

[Bill Sikes]

spot;556569 wrote: I'm sure that the current fluorescent fittings are nearing obsolescence [...]


Why?

spot;556569 wrote: In another ten years solid-state lighting (an array of LEDs) might become the standard home fitting. They're more efficient than either of the others,


Not AFAIK. Any pointers to knowledge newer than mine (a few years old)?

[spot]

Bill Sikes;556644 wrote: [quote=spot]I'm sure that the current fluorescent fittings are nearing obsolescence [...]Why?spot wrote: In another ten years solid-state lighting (an array of LEDs) might become the standard home fitting. They're more efficient than either of the othersNot AFAIK. Any pointers to knowledge newer than mine (a few years old)?[/QUOTE]I get blinding headaches in some rooms lit by fluorescents. Not all, just some. I think on occasion that the electrical distribution has mixed the polyphase mains to different parts of the room - I'd hope not but I bet it's happened. Sometimes it's a resonance effect with the screen I'm using but there can be a significant drifting band on computer monitors when the workspace is fluorescent-lit. Just moving my hand across a desktop leaves stroboscopic afterimages when the lighting's at its worst.

Anyway - efficiencies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luminous_e ... efficiency is a useable table. I've worked under solid-state lighting and it has none of the disabling aspects of fluorescents, it turns to full power immediately with no warm-up time, the power saving is double that of the compact fluorescents in the shops and projected to halve again as the technology matures. Hence my suggestion that fluorescent lighting is nearing obsolescence just as tungsten already has.

[Richard Bell]

magenta flame;556715 wrote: Just counted 40 light bulbs I have to replace. Now I can pick up the old ones for $1.50, to replace them means a $7.00 outlay for each bulb at the moment at the moment. Plus the chandelier what do I do about that? They dont' make the fluorescent bulbs for it.

oh BTW we're not the first a couple of states in Amercia did it a long time ago


It was mentioned on the radio that you would still be able to buy an incandescent for your oven and refrigerator. Don't know how they would prevent people from using them elsewhere.

I just bought a six pack of 13 W compact fluorescents (CP) for CDN $9.99. I think that's about $11.50 Australian. There's no reason that you should be paying $7.00 each for them. That has to change.

I heard that California has considered a ban, but it's never been enacted.

Chandeliers are a problem. Probably an LED bulb would be a better solution. I agree with Spot about the LEDs being the dominant technology in the near future.

[Amie]

This from a nation that won't sign Kyoto. **** i hate our government. With a passion.

[Accountable]

You've gotta be proud of your position in society when such trivia takes center stage.



Not poverty, corruption, attack, homelessness ..... light bulbs. It's kind of comforting, dontcha think?

[Amie]

Accountable;557628 wrote: You've gotta be proud of your position in society when such trivia takes center stage.



Not poverty, corruption, attack, homelessness ..... light bulbs. It's kind of comforting, dontcha think?


Better light bulbs, than bombing countries for oil I suppose.

[Accountable]

Amie;558351 wrote: Better light bulbs, than bombing countries for oil I suppose.
I wasn't being facetious. It's nice to know your safety & survival concerns are taken care of.