LED lighting is currently the most popular lamp as a light source. LED is more expensive to purchase, but almost 100 percent more economical than the energy-saving lamp, for example. The light output is greater and the lifespan is much longer. You also save money on consumption costs. In addition to the many advantages that LED has to offer, it is a logical development. What are the remaining alternatives? The energy-saving lamp is a permanent alternative. This also applies to so-called eco-halogen. Since 2012, there has been a production ban on the incandescent lamp within the European Union (EU). Existing store stock may still be sold. You also see the cheap incandescent lamp in industrial applications, such as refrigerator lighting, for example. We will see this less and less in the future, because the EU has started a directive. This concerns the Ecodesign Directives, consisting of strict guidelines to ultimately ban incandescent lamp lighting in household appliances and industrial applications.
Light bulb ban
Despite the production ban, the incandescent lamp remains popular. After all, it is cheap. Many web shops and consumers import incandescent lamps from outside the EU. There is now also a ban on the import of such lighting from outside the EU. Nevertheless, you can buy new incandescent lamps in small quantities on sites such as Ebay.com and Alibaba.com without any problems from an authority. Nevertheless, it is good to think about the advantages and disadvantages of the incandescent lamp. Why has the incandescent lamp been banned? Environmental protection is the argument here. Approximately 90 percent of the heat produced by the incandescent lamp is converted into heat. Only 10 percent is used for light. In addition, lamps such as LED last much longer. Some people argue that the ban is a way for the EU and lobbyists to stimulate the market for other types of lighting. People are therefore sceptical about the actual benefit. The European Commission has conducted research into the ultimate consequences for the environment. The Commission has calculated that the incandescent lamp must be responsible for an energy saving of 40 billion kWh in 2020. This number is equal to the electricity consumption of all Dutch and Belgians together. Annually, there should be fifteen billion kilos less CO2 emissions.
Other lamps
In addition to the incandescent lamp, a ban will apply to some types of halogen lighting from the end of 2018. Some halogen types have been out of the market for several years. The overview will be expanded with more types of halogen lighting. The EU indicates that halogen will disappear completely in the future, at the moment that there are enough energy-efficient and affordable alternatives. The halogen and energy-saving lamp are a widely used alternative to LED. The eco-halogen lamp and energy-saving lamp both have a long lifespan. The major disadvantage of the energy-saving lamp is that it takes a few minutes before the light comes on. The lamp must first warm up. LED therefore remains the big favorite!
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