The government has proposed an increase to the minimum energy performance standard for lighting products from 2023 and again from 2027.
Introducing higher standards for lighting products will see only the most energy efficient light bulbs available in shops, making it easier for consumers to replace old bulbs with ones that use less energy.
With new bulbs being cheaper to run, replacing a household’s halogen bulbs with LEDs can mean savings of around £2,000 to £3,000 over the lifetime of the bulbs, depending on the size of the home.
Business and Energy Minister Lord Callanan said:
Putin’s warmongering in Ukraine means everyone is feeling the effect of higher energy bills this winter, but these new standards can help lighten the load by ensuring British homes and businesses are lit as efficiently as possible.
As we’ve shown in the government’s energy saving campaign, small changes, like switching to more efficient light bulbs, can add up to big savings.
By going further with these regulations than either the US or EU, British homes, factories and offices will have some of the cheapest and greenest lighting in the world, helping keep down bills and reducing energy usage.
Global innovation in lighting technology in recent years has made it possible to achieve greater energy savings and the proposed new minimum energy performance standard reflect what is already technologically and reasonably achievable for lighting products.
As of March 2022, half of product models on the GB market already met this standard, but with lighting accounting for a significant portion of electricity use in buildings, the proposed regulations could result in 1.7 million tonnes of carbon savings by 2050, the equivalent of a year’s worth of carbon emissions from 2.5 million UK households.
If adopted, the proposals in the government consultation being launched today would come into force in late 2023, with further increased minimum standards introduced from September 2027.
Stew Horne, head of policy at Energy Saving Trust, said:
Energy Saving Trust welcomes the government’s proposals to improve lighting performance standards, which would directly benefit households and businesses by saving energy and reducing bills. We look forward to helping shape these standards as part of the transition to decarbonisation.
Read and respond to the consultation – which closes on 4th April 2023 – on minimum energy performance standards for lighting
