It’s the final switch off for incandescent light bulbs

High-brightness LED’s are the answer for some of the applications in our house but it’ll be a long time before we shall be able to convert to them such is the long life of the existing CFL’s combined with the short duration of their use each day. We have quite a number of incandescent lamps that have not had to be replaced in over seven years and will probably last another three/four at the present rate; we also have quite of stock of replacement incandescents and will probably use them in the low-use fittings.

Given the purchase price of low-energy lamps it is a pity there is not more consistency in performance between the multitude of types available as mistakes in buying a poor lamp are expensive. I wish that all lamps from each manufacturer had roughly similar performance characteristics across the range but they don’t: I would prefer to stick to one brand and know what I was getting – handy when trying to match output across a number of light sources in a room. It would also be helpful if .greater prominence in the labelling and packaging were given to the lumens [light output] rather than the wattage [power input].

Interestingly, Der Spiegel has recently (31 August) published an article on this very subject. Titled “Light-Bulb Ban Casts Shadow over EU Democracy”, it explores the origin and pursuit of this directive and its implications. As a stridently pro-EU publication, its conclusions are unexpected and therefore well worth reading. An English language version can be found at http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/eu-light-bulb-ban-illuminates-power-struggle-in-brussels-a-852931.html.

After reading it, those who have swallowed reports from some, ahem, ‘interested parties’ (Mr Peter Hunt, for example) may wish to reflect on the enormous profits that are going to be made by these same parties, and on the likelihood that their conclusions may be neither totally subjective nor totally unsullied by ulterior motives.

When one reads about “game changers – the energy saving bulbs that will answer all our calls” perhaps one should be reaching for one’s metaphorical revolver . . .

It is disappointing that supermarket shelves are now full of halogen bulbs that can be used as direct replacement of old fashioned bulbs, plus all those halogen bulbs that were available before. Halogen bulbs are a bit more efficient and last up to twice as long, but they are incandescent lamps and use much more power than CFLs and LED lamps.

In the past our kitchens might have been lit by one or two highly efficient fluorescent tubes and now it is common to have a myriad of halogen downlighters that use much more power.

I believe that the EU was planning to phase out halogen lamps after old fashioned bulbs have gone but there seems little indication of this.

With halogen lamps it is easy to make very elaborate light fittings with many bulbs and the potential to use LEDs for decorative lighting is immense. Are we really trying to save energy? I begin to wonder.