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Published on January 11, 2008

"This campaign will raise awareness in energy saving and CO2 reduction. It will also boost the popularity of the new energy-saving light bulbs, which are made in Thailand," Banphot Sangkeo, assistant governor of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, said yesterday.

Egat's scheme to reduce global warming will start with these companies and expand later, he said.

Participants in the scheme can pay for the new light bulbs over two years without interest.

At an overall cost of Bt23 billion, they will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 35,000 tonnes per year.

The new bulbs consume 31 watts per hour - 30 per cent less than the old 46-watt bulbs. If all 200 million energy-saving bulbs nationwide are switched to the new product, it would save 3 gigawatts.

Since 60 per cent of light bulbs are on at any given time, that will save 2 gigawatts - equivalent to three 700-megawatt power plants requiring Bt50 billion-Bt60 billion to build.

That will also not only cut natural-gas demand, it will reduce CO2 emission by 5 million tonnes, the volume emitted by 1 million cars.

Egat will also distribute 340,000 energy-saving bulbs to households and will soon launch a light-bulb exchange programme.

The Nation