UK LAGS BEHIND EUROPEAN NEIGHBOURS IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION LEAGUE

Osram analysis reveals the role lighting could play in reducing C02 emissions

An investigation into the latest European per capita emissions data¹ (up to 2011) by Osram has revealed the UK is lagging behind its neighbours in the energy consumption stakes.

Without radical change in prospect, it risks failing to meet the EU 2020 targets of a reduction of up to 30 per cent on its 1990 figures². With 19 per cent of the world’s carbon emissions from lighting sources, experts at Osram believe more should be done to support consumer awareness of the range of energy efficient lighting products like LEDs (light emitting diodes) on sale in Europe.

Traditional incandescent light bulbs have been phased off the market in Europe since 2012 thanks to an EU directive, but it is estimated that one third of the world’s population still uses this old style bulb. This is despite much more energy efficient alternatives on the market like compact fluorescents (CFLs) and LEDs. A typical LED can last for as long as 50,000 hours, versus 2,000 hours of a traditional bulb, and reduce CO2 emissions over three years by as much as 9 per cent.³ For the consumer making a wholesale upgrade of lighting in specific rooms or across the home, this translates into significant cost savings over the course of a year.

However a survey of 5,000 consumers across 12 countries as part of the PremiumLight project4 has revealed the message about the savings on both carbon and cost that can be achieved is still not getting through. The survey found that the UK trails behind other European nations for LED light bulb purchases (number 6), indicating this could be an area ripe for improvement. Sweden sits on top of the LED purchasing league, which could be one of the reasons why this Nordic nation is the second most efficient consumer of energy in the table.

Steve Burke, Global Retail Account Manager at Osram, comments: “With such an extensive range of lighting technology available to the consumer today it can be difficult to choose the right light bulb that ticks all the boxes for energy efficiency, costs savings and practicality for each application. For example, halogen is a typical choice for many kitchen downlights and ceiling luminaires, but with a simple switch to LED you could be saving as much as 15kg of carbon dioxide per year from just a couple of light bulbs in one room.

“With a reluctance to let go of the familiar incandescent light bulb, many consumers had a natural aversion to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) when first introduced onto the market. But technology has now developed to make LED the affordable, practical option for all, with many of the product features (shape, wattage equivalent, brightness) that people enjoyed in the traditional light bulb. As part of the wider effort to drive down energy consumption and climate change, LED has a massive role to play and we’re keen to see the UK start leading the way in Europe with its lighting purchasing decisions.”

As part of its consumer awareness and sustainability programme, Osram is offering the Light-A-Home tool through its website, giving consumers a chance to assess the ECO-friendly Osram product options available to them in each application.