Each of the 1000 plus homes on the islands including the Aran Islands, Arranmore, Clare Island and Bere Island will receive 6 energy efficient lamps in order to replace less efficient incandescent light sources within their homes. The lamps will be a combination of low energy compact fluorescent and dimmable low energy halogen solutions, which over their lifetime, could achieve savings of up to €400.
This initiative comes at a time when current lighting consumption makes up 19% of the world’s electricity. Research has shown that the potential for switching from older less efficient lighting to new lighting technologies would save an achievable 40% globally which equates to 106 billion Euros in energy costs per year, or the equivalent of 555 million tonnes of CO2 p.a.
The Islands of Ireland are steeped in history and folklore, rich in beauty and home to a fiercely proud and independent group of inhabitants who are constantly striving to be more self sufficient and energy conscious, often early adopters of new technologies based on wind, wave and solar power.
On the 8th September 2009 Minister Éamon O’ Cuív, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs launched the initiative by sending the first consignment of lamps to Inis Oírr where members of the community and Philips staff commenced the upgrading of homes on the island.
As Cel O’Reilly, Managing Director Philips Lighting Ireland, states, “Philips has always been committed to sustainability, firmly believing that its innovations will not only improve people’s lives, but that they will also offer simple solutions for complex issues such as sustainable development. Changing to energy saving lighting within the home is one of the easiest things that we can all do to positively impact climate change. We are, therefore, delighted to be part of this excellent project”.
For further information, please contact:
Ciaran Kiely/Gareth Bruce
Philips Lighting Ireland
Tel: 00 353 (0) 87 2946825 / 87 2472545
E-mail: ciaran.kiely@philips.com |
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