Editorial: Enlightened energy effort

Wednesday, May 9, 2007 | 7:21 a.m.

E nvironmentalists and light-bulb manufacturers are working on a bright idea that, if Congress adopts it, could create a national lighting standard that saves energy and phases out conventional incandescent bulbs in 10 years.

According to a story in the weekend edition of The Wall Street Journal, the new rule probably would be a two-stage standard that would require bulbs that use 30 percent less electricity than current bulbs in five years and those that use 75 percent less electricity in 10 years. The proposal could be included in energy legislation that the Senate is to consider at the end of the month.

The eventual requirement would mean using compact fluorescent bulbs, which last longer and use less electricity than the standard incandescent bulb. Despite this advantage, fluorescent bulbs cost more at the time of purchase - $2 to $3 each as compared with standard bulbs, some of which can be bought for less than 50 cents.

The Senate Energy Committee has estimated that trading standard bulbs for fluorescent ones could save about $18 billion in electricity costs annually and could vastly reduce the demand on coal-fired power plants, which supply about half of the nation's electricity, the Journal reports.

Still, there are significant hurdles to clear. Most consumers balk at the purchase price of fluorescent bulbs - even though they can recoup those costs in as little as six months - and many prefer the incandescent bulb's softer lighting quality. As a result, only about 6 percent of U.S. households have made the switch to fluorescents.

The lighting industry will need to make improvements, such as developing a fluorescent bulb that costs less and works better in reading lamps. It also must create bulbs that will work with the existing decorative or track-lighting systems in many American homes. Such work is under way - as is research by manufacturers of standard light bulbs to create a more energy-efficient incandescent bulb.

Regardless of who wins the race to build a better bulb, this is how more industries ought to work. Reducing our nation's dependence on fossil fuels and our overall energy consumption is going to take cooperation and commitment among industry competitors - and an acknowledgment that government sometimes should play a role in helping set these standards.