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• Compact Fluorescent Lamps (PDF - 41 KB)

The Goal

To reduce greenhouse gas and waste resulting from lighting by delivering higher quality and lower cost Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) lighting products to consumers worldwide.

The Challenge

Electricity for lighting an average Australian home generates about 2/3 of a tonne (and rising) of greenhouse gas each year.

CFLs are the most energy efficient form of lighting in households. A 100W traditional incandescent bulb is likely to last around 1000 hours, whereas a 20W CFL bulb lasts around 8000 hours and uses 75 per cent less energy, reducing waste by using less bulbs.

The challenge is to maximise use of CFLs in homes, through improving their efficiency, availability and affordability.

This case study

The Australian Greenhouse Office launched the International CFL Harmonisation Initiative at the 6th International Conference on Energy Efficient Lighting in Shanghai, May 2005, which was supported by more than 80 participants from 20 different organisations and 13 economies.

The participants agreed to the following aims for the initiative in order to improve the efficiency, availability and affordability of CFLs:

• Create standard methods for testing CFL performance in Australia and internationally;
• Identify a number of performance criteria for CFLs to aid testing comparisons and facilitate trade; and
• Promote these initiatives to the international community.

How did we make it happen?

At the Shanghai launch, participants in the initiative developed and released a communiqué recording the session outcomes, agreed on five general priorities for moving towards a harmonised test method and a number of performance requirements for CFLs, and agreed to call upon others to contribute to this common goal over coming years.

Participants set up five international working groups to focus on each priority, including:

• Testing methodology;
• Performance specifications;
• International test facility product testing;
• Compliance mechanisms; and
• Informing the international lighting community.

The Australian Greenhouse Office is the coordinating agency, with support in leading the working groups from the Chinese National Institution of Standardisation, the China Certification Centre for Energy Conservation Products, the Collaborative Labelling and Standards Program (CLASP), the Market Transformation Program (UK) and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Program (REEEP).

How far have we come?

The international working group has created a website to aid in the distribution and availability of information on CFLs, to promote upcoming activities and provide a forum for documentation to be publicly available for comment (http://www.apec-esis.org/cfl/www/).

With work ongoing, the other working groups have produced:

• A draft discussion paper on performance specifications and a future workplan to establish performance thresholds for CFLs;
• A draft harmonised international test protocol (with the aim of completing the protocol by the end of 2007);
• A draft discussion paper on international testing capacity, with a timeline set for inter-laboratory round robin testing of CFLs in 2006; and
• A discussion paper on compliance mechanisms and issues, and an extensive workplan, to achieve recognition of compliance standards across the international community.

What have we learnt?

We have learnt that it is not enough to just develop new technologies – they need to be supported by sound national policy frameworks and international goodwill. They need strong technical support as well as policy support. They need to be accessible, available, cost effective and reliable.

For more information visit the following website:
http://www.apec-esis.org/cfl/www/