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CFL Campaigns Help Lower Electricity Bills for Countries Most in Need

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Date: Jan 11, 2011

world

By: Jenny Corry

Worldwide demand for lighting is projected to grow by 4.5 percent annually through 2014, with the highest growth rates in emerging markets. However, an estimated 70 percent of global lighting sales comprise inefficient incandescent light bulbs, according to the Global Environment Facility. Fortunately, a global shift from incandescent light bulbs to more efficient lighting alternatives, including compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), is underway and stands to cut the world's energy demand for lighting by 18 percent. 

The World Bank Builds on Successful CFL Campaigns

The World Bank has responded to the growing demand for residential lighting programs as a means of reducing energy use, easing peak demand, lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and saving consumers money. Since 1994 World Bank-supported residential CFL programs have been completed or are ongoing in more than 20 countries.

The World Bank and its Energy Sector Management Assistance Program teamed up to develop the CFL Toolkit to assist CFL-based programs in residential or small commercial markets develop CFL campaigns. The toolkit compiles operation elements, documents, lessons learned and results in a user-friendly format. 

Most recently, the World Bank announced that the Mexico EE Lighting and Appliances project has been approved. This program will distribute more than 22 million CFLs to poor households in Mexico. 

A Record-Breaking 5 Million CFLs Distributed in One Day in Bangladesh

The World Bank’s “Efficient Lighting Initiatives of Bangladesh” (ELIB) distributed 10.5 million CFLs in its first phase and in June 2010 set a world record for the most CFL bulbs distributed at one time by handing out five million CFLs in a single day. In the second phase, beginning July 2011, 17.5 million CFL bulbs will be distributed in Bangladesh.

"The entire process had the air of a popular electric campaign,” said World Bank Senior Energy Specialist Ashok Sarkar in a World Bank blog post; Sarkar was in Bangladesh to witness the historic event. “The mood throughout the country was festive, and people were happy to switch to CFLs and to help do what they could to improve the delicate electric power situation in Bangladesh.”

Improving energy efficiency is crucial to economic development in Bangladesh: During peak irrigation season, 6,000 megawatts (MW) are demanded, but the power system can generate only 4,000 MW. This leads to outages that cripple production in this highly agrarian economy, and the ELIB program aims to help significantly.

The Poor Benefit Most From Ethiopia’s CFL Campaign

In East Africa, 90 percent of rural households use kerosene, which is costly and hazardous to human and environmental health. Following severe power shortages in 2008 and 2009, Ethiopia’s government decided to transform their nation’s approach to energy and switch from kerosene-fueled electricity to CFLs.

“The turnaround we are seeing in Ethiopia is encouraging,” said World Bank Senior Energy Specialist Luiz Maurer in an African Content article. “Not only is this lighting brighter, cleaner and more efficient, it is now affordable to the poorest people.” 

Local Addis Ababa resident Tsigereda Habtemariam replaced five bulbs in her family home with CFLs. “They provide better lighting, create a pleasant feeling and the bill decreases from month to month,” Habtemariam told African Content.

Within three months of launching the initiative, with half the bulbs distributed, the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPCo) reduced peak demand by 80 percent. Generating this energy by using emergency diesel generators would have cost the country an estimated $100 million, according to Maurer. The cost of the CFL distribution amounted to just $4 million. Moreover, low-income households, consuming about 20 kWh per month, can reduce their electricity consumption by 55 percent through efficient lighting. 

Ethiopia’s lighting project was so successful that the government has reduced import duties on some energy efficiency equipment and is drafting a law to phase-in energy efficient light bulbs.

Successful Efficient Lighting Projects Improve Lives

According to the United Nations Environment Program, 8 percent of global GHG emissions are linked to lighting, and international efficient lighting campaigns will make a huge dent in these numbers, while also putting more money in people's pockets.

Encouraging lighting efficiency will guarantee that more people will have access to reliable energy, improving their quality of life and encouraging economic development, the U.N. Environment Program said.

More Information on the Benefits of CFLs and CFL Campaigns in the United States