Illuminating The Darkness Of The Energy-Saving Lamp Market

Munich. The future is dark for electric light bulbs. Conventional incandescent bulbs will gradually be phased out of the market by 2012. Another important date is 1 September 2010, from which light bulbs and halogen lamps up to 60 watts must comply with energy efficiency class C.

The EU-wide policy aims to direct consumers increasingly – and one day exclusively – to purchase low-energy lamps. However, as well as lowering power consumption these lamps cause frequent confusion – start-up times, light quality and disposal being just three of the issues. The experts at TÜV SÜD explain what to look for when choosing and using low-energy lamps.

TÜV SÜD tips for purchasers:

• Even the most passionate fans of incandescent bulbs will have to come to terms with the new low-energy lamps. In the European Union, conventional incandescent bulbs are set to vanish from the market completely by 2012. The next milestone in the implementation plan is 1 September 2010; from this date onwards, only lamps up to 60 watts will be allowed on retailers' shelves. As a further example, throughout the EU no pearl incandescent lamps and no lamps of over 75 watts have been permitted for sale since September 2009. Low-energy lamps are thus gradually taking over. The plan is to use this shift to low-energy lamps as a regulatory method to compel private households throughout the EU to cut their power consumption by an annual 39 terawatt hours, or five per cent, by 2020. Politicians hope this measure will cut CO2 emissions by 15.5 million tonnes per year.
• Essentially, there are three successors for the classic incandescent bulb now on the brink of discontinuation. These are low-energy lamps (or compact fluorescent lamps, as they are officially known), halogen lamps and LED lamps, currently an alternative to low-power lamps (up to 40 watts).  
• But there are lamps and lamps. TÜV SÜD's experts point out that differences in the quality of low-energy lamps become apparent in properties including start-up time. Cheap products may have extremely long start-up times and do not reach full brightness for several minutes. In extreme cases, cheaper lamps may only emit a few lumens (light output) when first switched on, which can be dangerous in corridors or staircases. In other words, purchasers should ensure that lamps that are frequently switched on and off have short start-up times for rapid brightness.  
• A further important point is colour rendering. Since low-energy lamps use different colour spectra from those of incandescent lamps, their light is often regarded as cold and unnatural. Colour temperatures are expressed in kelvins. As a general rule, the lower the number of kelvins, the warmer the tone. Warm white has 2700 kelvins and is comparable to conventional light bulbs; neutral white has up to 5000 kelvins and daylight white, also known as "functional light", over 5000 kelvins.  
• A further guideline in selecting an energy-saving light bulb is the energy efficiency rating of A, B, C or D, where A is the most efficient. How is this efficiency rating determined? In simple terms, the luminous flux of the lamp is compared to its power consumption.  
• What is the lifespan of a low-energy bulb? This question is answered by the specification "average lamp life in hours". Top performers can reach well over 10,000 hours, say the experts at TÜV SÜD.  
• And what about brightness? This depends on the luminous flux, measured in lumens, and not on the lamp's wattage. As an example, the luminous flux of a 75-watt standard bulb can be around 890 to 980 lumens.  
• Further details which must be shown on the packaging: voltage – e.g. 220 to 240 volts; type of base – such as E14, E24, GU10, GU4 etc.; power rating – such as 18 watts (determines power consumption).  
• To ensure that the right choice of low-energy bulb is made, TÜV SÜD advises purchasers to consider the following questions before they buy: Do I need the lamp for indoor or outdoor use? Will it be visible in use – and thus a part of the room's interior design? Do I want to use it with a dimmer function?

TÜV SÜD tips for users:

• For a low-energy bulb to reveal its true strengths – and actually reduce power consumption and CO2 emissions – short-term use should be avoided. The process of switching these lamps on and off accounts for most of their power consumption; in addition, the lamps require a warm-up period before they reach full brightness.
• Put simply, energy-saving lamps are coiled fluorescent tubes. They contain mercury and must be disposed of as hazardous waste – not added to household waste or glass recycling banks.
• If a lamp breaks, do not vacuum up the pieces - this may merely distribute fine mercury particles in the air, where they may be inhaled. TÜV SÜD's experts recommend sweeping the remnants together with a damp cloth, and mopping the floor in a radius of around two metres. All cloths and lamp pieces should then be placed in a sealed container and taken to the nearest hazardous waste collection depot.

Additional information on testing:

The specialists at the TÜV SÜD laboratory are commissioned by manufacturers and retailers to conduct wide-ranging tests on energy-saving lamps. Taking the Ecodesign Directive 2005/32/EC / 2009/125/EC (successor) and regulations concerning its implementation as a basis, they examine luminous flux, lamp efficacy, warm-up time, start-up time, matching colour temperature, colour rendering index, power consumption, power factor and determination of energy rating. To do this, the experts work to standards including EN 13032-1 (Light and lighting - Measurements and presentation of photometric data of lamps and luminaires, part 1: Measurement and file format), DIN 5032-1 (Photometric measurements), DIN 6169-2 (Colour rendition/CIE Index) and DIN 60969 (Fatigue testing for low-energy lamps). As a concrete example of the testing performed in the TÜV SÜD laboratory, during the process of determining lamp life the lamps are switched on and off for 20,000 cycles.  

The TÜV SÜD experts are able to provide comprehensive advice on the development of lamps, based on the extensive array of measurements they have already performed (including reference and comparative measurements). And the company is currently developing its own system of quality marks for lamps and luminaires.