The phase out of inefficient lamps (conventional incandescent and halogen bulbs) began in September 2009 and will finish in September 2012. The good news is that switching to energy efficient lighting will allow homeowners to not only start saving money on their electricity bills but also contribute to the fight against climate change. While traditional light bulbs waste 96% of energy as heat – modern alternatives can reduce consumption by as much as 80% and can last up to 15 times longer.
Posted by Ivan Hutter
Here, GE Lighting looks why we really should start taking advantage of what’s out there:
1. They’re not expensive when you think long-term. The old saying ‘buy cheap, buy twice’ definitely applies to light bulbs. Traditional bulbs can cost anything up to £1, whereas energy saving bulbs – although initially costing up to 2-4 times as much,- will typically last up to 5-10 times as long. This allows for a saving of up to £3-6 per lamp per year, so the payback can be seen in months.
2. Energy efficient lamps fit most fittings. Bulbs now come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit regular bayonet and screw fittings. GE Lighting has also designed a new range of ‘look-alike’ shapes, so even those looking for a small, discreet bulb that’s energy efficient are able to find what’s needed.
3. Modern lamps offer long life. Energy saving bulbs are manufactured to last from 6,000 hours up to 15,000 hours. Depending on the usage, they should provide 1,000 hours of light per year based upon an average use of 2.7 hours per day. For those hard to reach light fittings this is great news, as you’ll need to change them less often.
4. Quick to light up. Due to improved technology, Stick, Spiral and some Decorative bulbs now provide instant light (0.3 seconds) and faster warm-up to full light output than previous bulbs.
5. Energy saving bulbs save you money. Energy saving bulbs save on average 70-80% per cent more energy compared to traditional bulbs. This ensures consumers see a payback in less than one year, including the purchase price.
6. You can recycle them. Local amenity centres have a statutary requirement to enable recycling of Energy Saving fluorescent lights (tubes and bulbs). For details of you’re nearest site visit www.recolight.co.uk/FREE-recycling.
If you are looking for easy ways to stop wasting energy and start saving money on your electricity bill, then switching to energy efficient lighting is by far one of the most effective changes to make. Given the EU legislation, the sooner you start making the switch the better off you will be. GE Lighting offers a full range of energy efficient bulbs in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit standard sizes within the home.
Guest post by János Berényi, President of HITA (Hungarian Investment and Trade Agency)
The Hungarian capital gained the title in the latest ranking from the Financial Times’ investor supplement, fDi Magazine. In addition to being the most attractive city in Eastern Europe for foreign direct investment in 2014-2015, Budapest ranked 9 in the “TOP 10 Major European Cities Overall”, a comprehensive assessment combining all categories. I had the honor to collect the fDi Magazine award in Cannes, at MIPIM, the world’s largest immobile and investment exhibition.
The prize
Established by the Hungarian government, HITA supports international business activities from Hungarian enterprises and encourages large international corporations to invest in Hungary. HITA promotes the country’s ideal central location, excellent infrastructure, good balance of labor costs and quality, and a competitive tax system. The Agency also strengthens Hungary’s foreign trading relations at 63 local representations in 49 countries all over the world. To be awarded by fDi Magazine is recognition of the excellent job done by the highly qualified staff of HITA.
GE’s massive presence in Hungary is a vivid example of why Hungary is attractive for investors. The company is the biggest American employer in the country – employing more than 13,000 people – as well as a long-term strategic investor. This was recently shown at the inauguration of GE Oil & Gas division’s expanded manufacturing facility (now totaling 11 000 m2), which has an increased capacity and provides more than 100 new jobs.
Great expectations: at the inauguration of GE Oil & Gas division’s expanded manufacturing facility
Just a few weeks ago came the announcement that GE was opening its Global Operations Center in Budapest, creating hundreds new jobs in an effort to consolidate services. This center makes it possible to manage work for multiple countries with specialized teams addressing local language, regulations and logistics requirements from one location.
And what does GE think of the partnership with the Hungarian governement and working with HITA? Ivan Hutter, General Manager of GE Lighting EMEA believes that “The strategic partnership agreement cements the relationship between GE and the Hungarian government and it also opens a new chapter for us. Due to our collaboration with HITA under the agreement we can further improve our cooperation with our suppliers and maintain high quality of services by sharing our global and local best practices related to our suppliers” .
