Last Word: UK incentives for LED lighting

Sept. 24, 2008
Andre Dobraszczyk of Lighthouse Electronics describes how two incentive schemes will assist the penetration of LEDs into the UK lighting market.

With the imminent phase-out of incandescent lamps, and clear UK government targets to make significant energy savings over the next 10 years, a recent report commissioned by the UK’s Carbon Trust identified that LEDs have the opportunity to replace the majority of light sources on this planet by 2050. Influential “energy-saving” schemes are now embracing LED technology, creating a route into the mainstream lighting markets. There are two core schemes set to revolutionize opportunities for white light LED technology penetration within the domestic and non-domestic markets.

First is the Energy Saving Recommended (ESR) scheme run by the Energy Saving Trust (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk). This has promoted energy-efficient domestic products, including lighting, with the aim of reducing domestic energy consumption. The ESR scheme has been responsible for the successful introduction of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) into the UK market. UK energy suppliers provide in excess of £800 million a year in subs with the aim of making new energy-saving technology affordable in this price-sensitive market.

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This article was published in the September/October 2008 issue of LEDs Magazine.

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