China moves to phase out incandescent bulbs

National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has banned imports and sales of incandescent bulbs with a wattage of 100 watts from October 1.

NDRC deputy director Xie Zhenhua said China will save 48 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually, equivalent to a reduction of 48 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, if all 1.4 billion of the country's incandescent bulbs currently in use are replaced with energy-saving lamps.

Lighting accounts for about 13 per cent of the country's total electricity use, according to Xie.

"This is another positive measure taken by the government to ensure the completion of China's energy-saving and emission-reduction goals set for the 12th Five-Year Plan period, as well as a move to actively deal with global climate change," Xie is quoted by the official media here as saying.

The government has pledged to cut energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product by 16 per cent while slashing carbon emissions by 17 per cent before 2015.

A ban on imports and sales of 60-watt-or-greater incandescent bulbs will take effect on October 1, 2014, while the same rule will apply to incandescent bulbs with wattages of 15 watts or greater starting October 1, 2016, under the plan.