Armenia not ready to use switch to energy-saving light bulbs

PanARMENIAN.Net - “The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources welcomes the transfer to energy-saving regime. However, we speak out against forcible usage of such bulbs,” Minister Armen Movsisyan said.

International Financial Corporation Project Manager for the Armenia Sustainable Energy Finance Project Tigran Parvanyan noted that Armenia is not ready to switch to energy-saving light bulbs, though it may stimulate energy efficiency in the country. There is no sense to compel the population to use similar light bulbs only, as rather expensive technologies are required for it, Parvanyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

It’s noteworthy that Russia has stopped producing and selling incandescent light bulbs of 100 watts or above from 2011. The EU has a similar ban in place, and the first phase (covering 100 W bulbs) went into effect September 1, 2009. Meanwhile, incandescent light bulbs will be completely prohibited from 2014.

At the same time, the European Union has started considering the project on repealing the introduced ban on incandescent light bulbs. Early in December 2010, information was disseminated on how mercury contained energy-saving bulbs may affect people’s health. The press service of Grand Holding group of companies refrained from providing any information on bulbs production at Grand Sund LLC.

IFC-organized Energy Efficiency Expo, a new trade fair showcasing products and services to help businesses reduce their energy consumption and thereby improve efficiency and stimulate growth will be held in Yerevan on March 10-12, 2011.

Energy Efficiency Expo is designed to provide solutions for businesses, in particular small and medium enterprises, to become more energy efficient by helping them establish direct contacts with energy efficient equipment vendors and suppliers. The Expo will provide vendors and suppliers of energy efficiency equipment with a unique opportunity to present the benefits of their products, technologies, and services to their potential clients and establish direct contacts with them. Energy Efficiency Expo targets banks and universal credit organizations planning to develop energy efficiency financing products, as well as local and international vendors, investors, researchers, consultants, and manufacturers of energy efficient equipment and technologies, including: Insulation materials; Heating and ventilation equipment; Lighting equipment; Boilers; Automatic systems.