The Green Lighting Program, initiated by the Chinese government
in 1996, has saved an estimated 59 billion kilowatt hours of
electricity through the use of energy-saving lighting, the National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Saturday.
He Bingguang, the deputy head of the NDRC's department for
environment and resources, said China sold 820 million
high-efficient lights in 2004, compared to 51.1 million in
1995.
NDRC figures show that China produced 10 billion lights in 2005,
including 2.8 billion fluorescent lamps.
In the same year, China produced 1.76 billion highly-efficient
compact fluorescent lamps, the most in the world.
Thanks to improved technology, the quality of electricity-saving
lighting has improved over the years, He said.
A survey in 2003 shows that the pass rate of compact fluorescent
lamps increased from 49.5 percent in 1998 to 95.1 percent, while
their average life span has risen by 4,000 hours.
He said there is still great potential for more energy savings.
Fluorescent lights consume 60 to 80 percent less electricity than
the incandescent lamps. It is estimated that lighting now accounts
for 12 percent of China's total electricity consumption.
The Green Lighting Program is one of the 10 major energy-saving
programs to be undertaken by the government during the 11th five-year-plan (2006-2010).
The priority will be given to the use of energy-saving lights in
public utilities, hotels, office buildings, shopping malls,
stadiums as well as homes, he said.
The government will also examine possible incentives that will
encourage the production and consumption of high-efficient
lighting, in addition to enhancing energy-saving awareness
campaigns among the public, he said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2006)