China Green Lights – A national programme with global repercussions

Liu Hong, Adam Hinge, and Stuart Jeffcott, China Green Lights
Lu Wenbin, China State Economic and Trade Commission

Keywords

China, Green Lights, energy growth, national programme, electricity consumption growth, growth rate, China Green Lights, savings target, improved quality of lighting products

Abstract

China’s energy consumption is currently growing at 5 % a year, with the consumption of electricity growing even more rapidly. One of the fastest growing sectors of electricity growth is in lighting energy consumption. Annual growth in electrical consumption by lighting was 15 % for much of the 1990s. Lighting currently accounts for approximately 13 % of lighting energy use in China. Given the predominant reliance on coal as a generation fuel, this consumption level is causing serious health and environmental problems.

Funded by the China State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC) and the Global Environment Facility, the China Green Lights Project began its expanded implementation in September 2001.The primary objective of the China Green Lights Project is: “By 2010, reduce lighting energy use in China by 10% relative to a constant efficiency scenario.”

Through the implementation of a comprehensive range of market transformation activities (ranging from the development of minimum efficiency standards for lighting products and designs through to the development utility based DSM programmes and the promotion of lighting Energy Management Company schemes) the China Green Lights project will create

Much greater awareness of, and confidence in, efficient lighting products by designers, installers and end-users;
A wider range of higher quality energy-efficient products are available at affordable costs;
Product testing, certification, standards and other supporting activities will be in place to maintain the market share and quality of efficient lighting products;
A range of market mechanisms (and associated actors) will have been mobilised to create a self-sustaining demand for and supply of efficient lighting products.

Overall, by 2010, it is estimated that the programme will be yield electricity saving of 18,715 million kWh and 7.5 MMT each year with savings to the consumer of EURO 1,031million RMB helping to alleviate poverty and improve industrial competitiveness.

Further, China is the worlds leading supplier of many lighting products and is committed to supplying high quality, low priced lighting products to the world. If successful, the actions of the China Green Lights project could boast efforts to promote green lighting around the globe.