EU-Regulation for Illuminants

The end is only the beginning – halogen, LED & Co on the advantage march

In September of the year 2011 the second level of the EU Ecodesign-regulation comes into effect. The lamp-manufacturers made provisions already setting on alternatives to common bulbs.

Long and hard was the discussion about the bulb-regulation of the European Union. Meanwhile the first level came into effect two years ago: therefore since the 1st of September of 2009 it is forbidden to provide over 100W bulbs. Now the 75W bulbs are for it and until the year 2012 the complete extinction should be achieved.

The EU-regulation for illuminants is the reason for the bulb abolition. It is part of the attempt to reduce the enrgy consumption of the European Union. That means for lamp and illuminant manufacturers to accept it. The successors of the conventional bulb are ready by now: energy-saving lamps, halogen-lamps and LEDs.

The greatest innovation-potential is offered by the LED technology. LEDs (for Light Emitting Diode) last the longest comparing to other illuminants and und they use energy on the most efficient way. Until now LEDs were related to small links because of their small size. One look to the manufacturers of modern lamps shows that they apparently already resigned to the end of the conventional bulb. Not only new models are delivered by default with energy-saving of halogen illuminants, but also all the classic products will be modified adapting to the LED-technology.

The Italian lamp manufacturer Flos for example offers his Kelvin table-lamp (Design: Antonio Citterio and Toan Nguyen, 2003) as a special LED-version since one year by now. Although the lamp is not a rehash of the original, but a completely new high-tech product that provides comfortable and pleasant light with its 30 highly efficient LEDs and a special designed diffuser. The switch is to find as a sensor in the head of the lamp that appears in a new and slim design.

Also new great names of the sector like Belux, Foscarini or Louis Poulsen set on the new illuminants discovering energy-saving as a theme apart. The turnaround to energy-saving illuminants not only is a forced evil, but also part of the continuous search of new and innovative technology. Energy-saving light sources and the illuminant range are now understood as a chance to increase the illuminants function.

The alternatives and possibilities of modern lamps are already numerous and in prevision especially the LED-technology has a great future in front of it. And Europe will hardly disappear in darkness by 2012, when the last bulb will have crossed the counter, more than that it is going to shine as usually with new illuminants.

Further information are to find at http://ec.europa.eu/energy/lumen