Project promoting energy-efficient lighting systems pushed by DOE

The Department of Energy (DOE) signed yesterday signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to promote the use of efficient energy lighting.

The memorandum of agreement (MOA) also involves the GEF’s Philippine Efficient Lighting Market and Transformation Project (PELMATP) and Gawad Kalinga (GK). It will specifically involve 800 households at GK Village in Baseco Compound, Tondo, Manila.

Estimates show that the 800 households could generate savings of about 240,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity per year or an equivalent amount of P1.2 million by shifting from incandescent bulbs (IBs) to energy-efficient lighting (EEL) systems like compact florescent lamps (CFLs). A standard GK house can use four 12-watts CFLs.

Assuming that each household will use the CFLs for an average of six hours per day, estimates shows that it will cost only P80 for the lighting consumptions of each household, compared to about P320 per month for a household, which uses four pieces of 50-watt IBs. A typical incandescent bulb converts only 20 percent of energy into light and the rest is emitted as heat.

Signatories to the MOA are Energy Secretary Raphael M. Lotilla, Energy Undersecretary Peter Anthony A. Abaya and GK executive director Antonio Meloto.

PELMATP is a project of the DOE and UNDP, with funding from GEF. The DOE-PELMATP aspires to reduce barriers to the widespread utilization of EEL systems in the Philippines.

In particular, PELMATP establishes energy efficient lighting policies, standards and guidelines enhancement program on lighting applications in the country.

To date, the project has taken significant steps toward encouraging the use of energ-efficient and environment-friendly lighting systems in the country.

Through its "Palit Ilaw Program," a growing number of establishments in Manila and Quezon City have started to shift their lighting systems from incandescent lamps to the more efficient CFLs.

These include "Palit-Ilaw sa Palengke" in New Dagonoy Market, San Andres, Manila, "Palit-Ilaw sa Eskwela," in Eusebio High School, Pasig City, and "Palit-Ilaw sa QC Hall", since CFLs are more efficient and less expensive to maintain in the long run, the project is expected to gain widespread usage in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao and Baguio and in the rest of the country.