India Launches Project to Phase Out Incandescent Bulbs

[bananas]

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-26-voa22.cfm

India Launches Project to Phase Out Incandescent Bulbs
By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
26 February 2009

India has launched a project to phase out the traditional incandescent light bulb in favor of compact fluorescent lights. India is the latest to join several nations trying to switch to more energy-efficient lamps in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change.

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The potential to save energy through the switch to fluorescent lights is enormous. Household lighting accounts for about one fifth of the total energy consumption in India. India's power minister says the program could help India save 10,000 megawatts of electricity, each year.

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As in many other countries, the popularity of compact fluorescent lights has been slow to spread in India because they cost about four times as much as traditional bulbs. But they are cheaper, in the long run, because they consume less power and bulb-life is far greater than with the incandescents. The government is offering the lamps for about 30 cents - about one quarter of their cost in the market.

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This is the first program India has launched as part of an Action Plan on Climate Change, which it adopted last year. The plan put the focus on harnessing renewable energy and improving energy efficiency.

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[Posteritatis]

1. India going to CFLs? That'll be a nice big dent in things! (nt)