The Hindu Business Line : Promoting CFL: States switch off incandescent bulbs

New Delhi June 11 With power capacity addition targets consistently falling by the wayside, both the Centre and State governments are now focussing on energy conservation efforts such as replacement of incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to cut down on the estimated 18,000 MW of electricity used for lighting in the country.

The Centre's new initiative to offer CFLs at low costs to BPL families, with a buyback provision for fused lamps in order to limit environmental hazard arising from negligent disposal, comes on the back of CFL promotion drives launched by a slew of States.

Punjab, Haryana and Delhi have issued directives for mandatory installation of CFLs in Government buildings. Punjab hopes to save around 150 MW through this move. Maharashtra has arranged to buy CFLs in bulk from manufacturers and sell them to consumers, in turn collecting Rs 10 per month with each bill. Karnataka has started a similar scheme, while Haryana is buying CFLs in bulk and selling to consumers with a `buy one, get one free' rider. Haryana's Binola village has emerged as the country's first village with all-CFL homes, where the 100-odd households have replaced incandescent bulbs after a Government promotion drive involving panchayats.

Lighting is responsible for 19 per cent of the world's electricity consumption, according to the International Energy Agency. Greenpeace estimates savings of up to 12,000 MW in India by switching to CFLs, even as environmental fallouts from unsafe disposal of CFLs — which use mercury — is still being debated at large.

Buoyed by the steps taken by Governments, manufacturers such as Philips Electronics and Surya Roshini are seizing the opportunity. Philips has outlined plans to ramp up sales and sell 20 million CFLs in India by December.