A few people making extraordinary changes to energy usage can be equalled by many people making ordinary changes. Here is one ordinary change everyone can make that has immediate energy and cost savings. Individually, the savings are small, but multiply a small number by a large number and you get a large number.
Around your home and office you will have halogen downlights – they give wonderfully crisp tasklighting. Almost certainly they will be 50 watt bulbs, and if the fitting is more than a few years old, they will be powered by 12 volt transformer. The attached picture shows what the bulbs look like.
Replace the 50 watt bulbs with 20 watt bulbs and you reduce the energy consumption by 60%. Especially as the bulbs are usually found in multiples, check out your kitchen!
This is not an advertisement for Ikea, but they are the only retailer of 20 watt bulbs at a mass market price. They are called Halogen bulb GU 5.3 MR16 38° and sell for $6.95 for a pack of four.
If Ikea can source and sell them at a reasonable price, why can’t the major manufacturers Mirabella and Philips and the major stores do the same? If 20 watt bulbs were the norm, and 50 watt bulbs had to be sought out at specialist lighting shops people would save energy by default. Currently it is the other way around!
By replacing a 50 watt bulb with a 20 watt bulb, the payback period for the bulb is about 350 hours. Given most halogens are used for a number of hours per day, this is a fast payback. And the energy reduction begins immediately.
It is also likely you will not notice the difference in lighting. Replacing aged 50 watt bulbs with new 20 watt bulbs may even be brighter as the lens of the bulb “cataracts” with age. If in doubt try replacing a couple and see if you can spot the difference. My lux meter can tell in a test environment, but my eye can’t in my kitchen.
I have done considerable testing of various halogen lights and their alternatives. Nothing comes close to the benefit of replacing the 50 watt halogen with a 20 watt halogen.
I know you probably already make extraordinary changes, here is a simple change for all your “ordinary” friends so they too can contribute without pain! Now, how to get Coles and Woolies to start stocking 20 watt bulbs…
