CFLs to replace incandescent bulbs in pilot project

From the Hindu:

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) is in the process of launching an ambitious energy conservation project for the replacement of incandescent bulbs in households with highly energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs).

The pilot project, which will be taken up in Bangalore Rural district, envisages the replacement of a maximum of four incandescent bulbs in each house, adding up to five lakh bulbs. The project is expected to begin in a month.

Agency chosen

Sources in BESCOM told The Hindu that they have zeroed in on a reputed agency, which was chosen through bids, for implementing the project. The highlight of the project is that the agency will replace incandescent bulbs in households with CFLs. Consumers will have to pay around Rs. 15 for each CFL as against the market cost of more than Rs. 100.

The agency will recoup the remainder by showcasing the entire project under the Clean Development Mechanism and claiming carbon credits, as the project will help reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

Leveraging the opportunities created by the Kyoto Protocol, this project hopes to create a sustainable way to provide CFLs to rural populations in Bangalore. Validity of carbon offsets aside, this project is no doubt a very intriguing approach to energy conservation.