Last week, we had a most enlightening talk over a most hearty lunch at Makati Shangri-La Hotel with Philips honchos Dr. Gottfried Dutine, executive vice president, Royal Philips Electronics, based in The Netherlands; Ad Schevers, CEO Asia Pacifc, Philips Lighting, based in Hong Kong; and Menardo Mateo, president and CEO of Philips Electronics and Lighting, Inc., based here.
Of course, Philips has lighted up our homes and offices – and certainly our lives – these past many decades. It was Philips who invented the first light bulb that lasts 60,000 hours in 1991. Before that, in 1809, an English chemist named Humphrey Davy came up with the first electric light by connecting two wires to a battery and attaching a charcoal strip between the other ends of the wires. And in 1899, Thomas Alva Edison discovered the light bulb. Edison invented a carbon filament that burned for 40 hours and placed it in an oxygen-less bulb.
So, with the current power crisis, how do we save energy and cut costs?
Mateo asserts, "Energy efficiency is the most practical and least expensive solution to the looming power crisis. By encouraging businesses and homes to use energy-efficient lighting, electricity supply companies can more easily meet the demands of other sectors, avoiding costly investment in new facilities. At the same time, they reduce the environmental impact of new power plants and improve public image."
He further notes, "Continuing economic growth has pushed demand for energy beyond the generating capacity of most Asia Pacific nations. Those unable to now rapidly increase their power supply risk curtailing their development. But adding capacity may not be the easy answer."
According to the Philippine Energy Plan 2005, the system peak demand for the country is expected to increase from 9,827MW in 2005 to 14,265MW in 2010 and 19,064MW in 2014.
Now comes a ray of good news: According to Philips research, if one million homes were to trade just one standard 60W incandescent lamp for one Philips Essential 11W energy saver CFL (compact fluorescent lamp), overall electricity demand would drop by 38MW.
According to the 2004 Household Energy Consumption, lighting constitutes a big chunk of the energy usage of majority of the Filipino households (92.1 percent of 14.6 million).
"Given that the Philippines has more than 14 million households, the change over to CFL has a potential to save 532MW of capacity. This can be implemented in a matter of months instead of waiting for new power plants that could take decades to build, amid all kinds of obstacles and opposition."
Likewise, it’s clear to see that if just 500 big industries in the Philippines would replace their current standard fluorescent lamps that use the standard magnetic ballast (average 2,000 lamps per industry) with the new Philips Lifemax Super 80 fluorescent lamp (30 percent more light), and EBE electronic ballast, the peak load demand could be reduced by 16MW for just those 500 industries.
Replacing standard incandescent lamps with CFLs and the regular T12 fluorescent lamps with new T8 lamps would substantially reduce the load on the national grid.
More, these lamps provide the same light levels and last six to 10 times longer. This only means that consumers can save operating and maintenance costs without sacrificing light output.
The challenge, says Mateo, is for governments, electric supply companies, and lighting manufacturers to work together to educate the public and devise schemes that encourage the use of energy-efficient lighting in homes and offices.
A very bright idea, don’t you think?
Good morning to all of you relaxed people out there!
I was just reading your advice on how to get rid of that killer: stress! Very good advice, indeed, which I’ve been able to master perfectly after having survived many near-death experiences in my 70 years on this planet. Also a triple bypass in Changmai, Thailand seven years ago while travelling there. Most people don’t realize that it’s up to you alone to get the most out of every minute you are granted each day.
I’m British Canadian and enjoying six weeks of just being lazy in Cebu and being with some friends. I still work parttime as a cargo pilot in Europe, but at my own pace ... no stress at all ! Well, let’s see how the first day of the rest of my life goes today!
Add PMA to your list (positive mental attitude), also important in life, my STAR friends, not forgetting to make love, not war!
Best regards,
George
I feel much obliged to write this thank-you letter due to the unexpected response I received from people who availed themselves of my kamagong tea. My special thanks goes to those diabetics who expressed their sincere gratitude via phone calls, text messages, and e-mails about the fast-healing wonders they obtained from kamagong tea.
A healthy life is but a matter of good and poor choices. Those who chose the good kept drinking my tea for two or three months (and some, even longer) because they experienced that feeling of wellness they did not feel during those years they were taking prescription medicines and insulin injections. Those who chose otherwise expected miracles without sacrificing their lifestyles.
If only those who chose poorly would come to understand that by stubbornly refusing to cast away their bad and unhealthy habits, they are inflicting pain on their families who care for them and wish them well. More, money intended for their medications would go a long way towards meeting the immediate needs of their family and enable them to even save.
Gerry Vergara
1720 Firmeza St., Sampaloc, Manila
Cell phone no. 0920-5680596