HALOGEN LIGHTING DISAPPEARS

In order to reduce CO2 emissions and promote energy savings, old lighting systems are being phased out in favor of more efficient and sustainable technology. Incandescent light bulbs disappeared in 2012, followed four years later by halogen spotlights, and now it's the turn of halogen bulbs.

The new regulations, which came into force on September 1, 2018 (EU Commission Regulation 2015/1428), and which form part of the Kyoto Protocol's action plan, require lighting manufacturers to stop producing halogen bulbs.

This ban should have been in effect a couple of years ago, but a market unprepared for change made the transition impossible. With these new regulations, only LED and fluorescent lighting, which provide brighter light while using significantly less energy, can be sold in the European Union.

However, retailers and distributors will be able to sell their existing stock until it runs out, although they will have to act quickly as they can only do so until the end of 2018. As announced by the European Commission, this measure will achieve savings of approximately 40 billion kilowatt-hours by 2020, equivalent to the energy demand of roughly eleven million homes, representing a 15% saving. This step necessitates a long-awaited and much-desired shift towards LED lighting. These types of bulbs are becoming increasingly affordable; in fact, their price has already fallen by 50% in the last four years, according to Alfredo Berges, Director General of Anfalum (Spanish Association of Lighting Manufacturers). And it is expected that from now on, with increased production, this price reduction will be even greater, according to the Consumers and Users Organization (OCU).

Among the advantages of this type of LED bulb, energy savings stand out, as they consume one-tenth the energy of halogen bulbs. They offer better light quality and have a longer lifespan, which translates into savings of up to 90% on the electricity bill, representing approximately €150 to €200 per year depending on the size of the home, the number of light fixtures, and the size of the family living there.

At first glance, a halogen bulb and an LED bulb don't look very different, and replacing one with the other is not complicated in terms of installation; it's as simple as unscrewing the halogen bulb and screwing in the LED bulb.