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28 March 2024

'Energy savings to total 40%'

Published
By Karen Remo-Listana

The planned move to phase out incandescent lamps (bulbs) and inefficient air-conditioners in the UAE will save up 40 per cent in energy consumption in the next three years, a top official said.

The move will also cut a hefty amount of carbon emitted to the atmosphere.

Mohamed Saleh Badri, Acting Director-General of Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma), said: "We noticed that 70 per cent of power is consumed by the ACs. Thus ACs will be controlled in 2010," Badri said. "We estimate that in the optimum situation, which takes three to five years as we cannot cancel them all in a sudden – we are talking about 30-40 per cent savings of energy."

The country is also gearing up to control incandescent lamps and phase them out from the system.

"Incandescent lamps or bulbs are very inefficient," said Abdulla Al Muaini, Director of Conformity Affairs at Esma.

"A 100-watt incandescent lamp is equivalent to a 20W fluorescent lamp or a 10W compact fluorescent lamp. Incandescent lamps are already banned in Thailand so we are looking at their model closely."

"In the UAE consumers do not notice the cost because electricity is not expensive but just imagine one chandelier with five bulbs – that's 500W already whereas you could have used other more efficient alternatives," he added.

A study is being undertaking that will define what is efficient and what is not. It is being drafted and will be finalised next month. The new criteria will developed nations with a local twist.

 

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