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THE Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that by replacing
incandescent bulbs (IBs) with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), the
country could save every year US$300 million in fuel costs; about
2000 megawatts of generated electricity at peak time; $500 million
in power consumption; and cut greenhouse gases by 2.5 million tons.
All this is based on DOE’s estimate that 68
million IBs are still in use and that a CFL lasts 5 times longer and
uses 80 percent less energy than an IB does.
Sec. Angelo Reyes said that “[t]he calibrated
phase-out of IBs will be made within two years in order to achieve
reduction in the national energy consumption and greenhouse gas
emission as a response to rising oil prices and adverse effects of
climate change.”
Well said but I still want to see the plan of
action by the Philippine Efficient Lighting Market Transformation
Project that was recommended by the recent Energy Summit.
To help promote this policy, I’d like to
summarize some bits of technical information that could guide those
who are still unsure about CFLs.
For contrasting views on the features of CFLs, I
turned to Megaman and Sylvania, two large manufacturers of lighting
fixtures.
A common misconception about CFLs is that their
life is shortened by frequent switching. This is false. Current
standards for CFLs require 3,000 switching cycles per 8,000 hours.
This exceeds “normal” household use. Megaman’s heavy duty CFLs
are tested for 600,000 switching cycles and 15,000 hours of use.
Another canard is CFLs use more energy during
start-up. CFLs use in the first 2 or 3 seconds the same amount of
energy as during full operation.
Some consumers complain that CFLs emit a colder,
harsher light than IBs do. Megaman does not agree; its CFLs emit the
same warm light as do IBs—between 2,600 and 2,80 kelvin. Sylvania
however agrees and is trying to add more red to the color spectrum
of its CFLs to produce warmer light.
Do CFLs flicker? No, according to Megaman. Their
light is consistent, flicker-free, and non-stroboscopic. CFLs have
an electronic controller that allows them to operate at high
frequency, between 30,000 to 50,000 hertz or cycles per second.
CFLs can’t be dimmed. False, Megaman says.
There are new CFLs that can be dimmed with ordinary dimmer switches
or even alternately for staged dimming using a standard light
switch.
Robert Pai, the head of Sylvania’s research
division, admitted in an interview (International Herald Tribune,
Feb. 2-3, 2008) that Sylvania has yet to solve the “dimming
problem.”
In open spaces, CFLs are better because they
produce very little heat compared to IBs. They are also safer for
areas that are accessible to children and they do not discolor
lampshades, walls, or ceilings. For these reasons, museums prefer
them for lighting exhibitions.
In closed spaces, like closets and cabinets,
CFLs do get hot and shed bluish-white light. IBs have full spectrum
color that’s prettier except that 95 percent of the electricity
that passes through it becomes heat. IBs could be made more
efficient but it would make them also more expensive. Halogens, for
example, cost on average 10 times more than CFLs. Halogens are
suited to car headlights and spotlights, functions that CFLs at the
moment cannot meet.
The main drawback of CFLs is the presence in
them of mercury, a toxic metal. Why do CFLs need mercury? Light is
produced by vapor pressure. If there’s little vapor most of the
energy becomes heat. But with too much vapor, the light does not
dissipate and degenerates into heat. So far, mercury is the only
known substance that yields enough vapor pressure to spread light
efficiently without heating the lamp.
The 5 milligrams of mercury in CFLs do not sound
much. But when millions of them are thrown away, the mercury becomes
a real hazard.
If a CFL should break, you should clean up with
paper. Do not sweep with a broom or brush or vacuum the debris. Put
the broken pieces quickly in a plastic bag and seal it. If the
accident happens in a closed room, open the windows to allow fresh
air in.
CFLs made by big companies are shatterproof,
thus preventing mercury from leaking out in the event of breakage.
Unfortunately, cheaper CFLs from low-cost producers are not
shatterproof. Silicone protection to prevent shattering is not a
feature of most CFLs that are sold in the country. Caveat emptor.
CFLs cannot as yet be recycled in the
Philippines. Therefore broken CFLs have to be thrown away with
regular trash but see to it that they are in a sealed bag. Megaman
says that its lamps can be recycled. Sylvania did not have any
information on recycling.
The DOE, as a matter of policy, should require
manufacturers to print instructions on handling prominently on the
box.
CFLs reduce energy use which in turn reduce
mercury emissions from power plants. A virtuous circle.
No one working in lighting today thinks that CFL
technology will last as long as IB technology. Since Thomas Edison
invented the electric light bulb in 1879, it has been, albeit with
extensive modifications, in continuous use.
According to Robert Pai, CFL is probably an
intermediate technology. In the face of ever rising oil prices and
stronger international pressure to mitigate CO2 emissions,
scientists and engineers even now are busy looking for a
replacement. The candidate of choice is light emitting diodes (LEDs).
They are more efficient than CFLs and do not need toxic components.
Their main disadvantage is their light does not diffuse over a large
area. Once this problem is overcome, perhaps in the next 10 to 20
years, LEDs may replace CFLs as the better light.
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