The United Nations recently announced they would be seeking stricter regulations on lighting standards for the united nations member states. Why is this important?
“About 15 per cent of global electricity is used for lighting, and when economies grow, the demand for lighting goes up. If developing and emerging economies could switch to efficient LED lighting overnight, they would save $18 billion on electricity bills, prevent 160 million tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere each year and save electricity equivalent to the total annual consumption of Mexico.” (source)
Many people do not know of the profound energy savings provided by switching to LED lights from incandescent or CFL. The market for incandescent markets has dropped by over 75% worldwide, but the biggest concentration of sales still lie in developing markets. This is the norm with technology: the developed, wealthy countries get the newest things first and the old tech moves down the lines of less developed countries.
These standards already exist in some European countries and in California, but the energy savings in the less developed countries will be more visible because energy costs make up a higher proportion of spending. The reduction of energy usage will also allow for cleaner air, and the longer lifespans of LEDs will reduce the amount of hazardous waste.
These lighting standards would allow the better technology of LED lighting to go directly to these countries, and incandescents can exit the market. The main targets of these regulations will be in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
According to Noah Horowitz of the Natural Resource Defense Council, “Light bulbs are the low-hanging fruit in the efficiency tree. No other product offers such compelling savings on a per product basis. LEDs use up to 90 per cent less energy than conventional incandescent light bulbs.”
Although this information is not likely to affect your everyday life, this can make an impact on millions around the globe. This technology is easily available in the US, especially California. Make sure the lighting is updated in your home and office to get the most savings and to be green!
Need help with the switch? Let us know! We are the LED lighting specialists, and can help in any warehouse, office, or parking lot. Reach out to us here for more information on what energy efficient technology could do for you.
Interested in learning more? Read more here.