【Daily Question 20090302】Are there any subsidies for using energy-saving lamps?

The State Council established a special team for energy conservation and emission reduction; starting in 2008, it aimed to roll out 150 million energy-saving lamps across the country within three years, at a rate of 50 million per year； Among them, the task for 2008 has been completed: residents who purchase **subsidized energy-saving lamps** receive a 50% subsidy, while bulk purchasers get a 30% subsidy ； Subsidized energy-saving lamps include U-shaped lamps, T8 tri-color fluorescent tubes, T5 luminaires, etc., and are suitable for factories, schools, public institutions, residents, and more. 　　1) How is the subsidy price calculated? 　　For example, a 3U 24W self-ballasted fluorescent lamp costs around 20 yuan on the market; the unified bulk purchase price is 11 yuan. Residents receive a 50% subsidy, bringing the price to 5.5 yuan per lamp, while businesses get a 30% subsidy, resulting in a price of 7.7 yuan per lamp. Therefore, it can save a large amount of costs for businesses and residents. 　　2) Is the quality guaranteed? 　　For residential purchases, the warranty period is **two years uniformly**; for business purchases, it is **one year uniformly** ； Its actual lifespan far exceeds the shelf life, and it is **manufactured according to uniform standards, offering better quality than similar products on the market. 　　3) How to purchase it? 　　Companies can purchase them by contacting directly the local dealers who offer subsidies for energy-saving lamps, and by signing a standard contract for such subsidies. You can refer to the website of the Development and Reform Commission or our company’s website at www.dark-green.cn, or contact us via QQ at 815836752. All payment amounts must not be collected by independent sales companies or individuals; they must be transferred directly to the designated account of the manufacturer. All prices are standard prices and must not be lower or higher than these amounts. 　　4) **What is the difference between energy-saving lamps that receive financial subsidies and those sold on the market? 　　All **subsidized energy-saving lamps have the circular steel stamp of the ‘Green Light Project’ subsidy on them.** The quality of energy-saving lamps available on the market varies greatly; some of lower quality ones last only two or three days to a few months, suffer from severe light attenuation, and do not provide any energy savings at all. Moreover, their color of light can be harmful to the eyes. Hence, there is a saying: Energy-saving lamps save energy but not money ； In other words, the money saved on electricity bills isn’t even enough to buy energy-efficient lights, and this is due to poor quality ； Some residents even said that **even after the subsidy, energy-saving lamps still cost 3-4 yuan, while they can be purchased on the market for just 1 yuan; this is entirely due to differences in quality** ； For the same U-shaped energy-saving lamps, their useful life for residents is generally over 5 years, whereas many unlicensed energy-saving lamps break down within just a month of use. 　　I hope more companies will actively cut costs during the financial crisis, reduce their operational expenses, and weather the economic downturn successfully! At the same time, we expect companies to take energy conservation seriously in order to avoid increased procurement costs! For example, **subsidized energy-saving lamps are very popular among foreign-funded enterprises, but it is difficult for domestic enterprises or those from Hong Kong and Taiwan to promote them.** This relates to corporate management issues; large foreign conglomerates have established dedicated energy management departments to directly purchase subsidized energy-saving lamps ； In domestic companies or those from Hong Kong and Taiwan, there are conflicts over interests among departments such as the engineering department and the procurement department. Since subsidized energy-saving products are inexpensive and sold at fixed prices, there are almost no opportunities for commercial bribery; as a result, these companies prefer to purchase products at prices more than twice as high rather than using subsidized energy-saving options. This situation requires direct intervention by company executives in order to promote the implementation of energy-saving projects.

Experts advise consumers to pay attention to the following aspects when choosing energy-saving light bulbs: 1. Purchase products with certification marks. A safety certification mark – products bearing the “CQC” mark indicate that they have been approved by the China Quality Certification Center and meet the safety requirements set by this institution; it serves as proof of compliance with the safety standards for energy-saving light bulbs. 　　Energy-saving certification marks – At present, there are two types of energy-saving certification marks for lighting products in China: the “CQCES Energy-Saving” mark and the mark with the character “Jie”. Both marks indicate that the products meet the requirements regarding energy-saving performance set out in the relevant standards. 2. Check the product packaging **It is mandatory for energy-saving lamp products to have the following information indicated on their packaging: place of origin, rated voltage and voltage range, rated power, and rated frequency.** Indicate on the lamp, or on the packaging or in the instruction manual, the current of the lamp, as well as other additional notes related to safe use. 　　3. Examine the appearance of the energy-saving light: Check whether the lamp base and tube are loose, and whether the phosphor coating on the tube is even without any gaps or peeling. The phosphor should be bright white; it should not appear yellowish or grayish. 　　Second, after powering on to light the tube, check whether the tube emits light evenly and normally; there should be no obvious dark spots on the tube, and the light source should not flicker. 　　4. Understand the model of energy-saving lamps. For example, if an energy-saving lamp is labeled with the model number YPZ230/9-3U·RR·D 6500K, then YPZ denotes a self-ballasted fluorescent lamp for general lighting (i.e., an energy-saving lamp); 230/9 indicates a rated voltage of 230V and a rated power of 9W; 3U refers to the structure of the lamp (comprising 3 U-shaped tubes); RR indicates the color of light emitted by the lamp; D stands for electronic self-ballasting; and 6500K represents the corresponding color temperature, which in Chinese terms is described as daylight color. Generally, energy-saving lamp products list the first three items quite often. 　　5. Choose the model based on the characteristics of energy-saving lamps. Power – When the lighting effect is the same, energy-saving lamps consume one-sixth the power of incandescent lamps. Therefore, if you want to achieve the same lighting effect as a 60W incandescent lamp, choosing a 10W energy-saving lamp will suffice. 　　Lighting color – mainly depending on the usage environment and personal preferences. In cozy areas such as bedrooms and dining rooms, energy-saving lamps labeled with the letters RN or RD, or those with a warm yellow color, can be purchased. Energy-saving lamps with a pale yellow light color have higher luminous efficiency and color rendering index compared to those with a white light color. Some consumers believe that the brighter a light is, the whiter – or even more ‘blue’ – its color, but this is a misconception. 　　6. Pay attention to the interchangeability of lights. Interchangeability is an indicator of whether the lamp base and socket of a product fit well together. Poor interchangeability can make it difficult to install and remove the lamp, and it also creates potential safety hazards. 　　7. Read the instructions carefully. Read carefully the text on the product instructions and packaging; it not only helps to use the energy-saving lamp correctly but also provides information on other aspects of its performance, such as power factor and luminous efficiency, which is useful for consumers to understand the quality of the product. 　　8. It is necessary to compare different products before making a choice, selecting those that offer the best value for money; one should not solely focus on low prices. The quality of a product does not necessarily correspond directly to its price or the reputation of its brand. It is important to gather relevant information before purchasing, especially data on product tests or comparisons provided by administrative authorities and consumer associations. One should choose products that have an appropriate price and excellent quality, rather than opting for cheaper products of inferior quality.

Of course there are. **A certain percentage subsidy will be provided based on your energy savings.

There are subsidies. All lighting in the new production line installed by our company uses energy-saving products. Speed control does not make use of frequency conversion at all. **A certain subsidy is provided, I think it’s 30%, but I can’t remember exactly. Subsidies are also provided for the renovation of old production lines. Energy-saving lighting fixtures, frequency converters, etc. If the control of existing control valves is upgraded to inverter control, **subsidies are provided in all such cases. A certain subsidy is provided based on the energy-saving potential of the frequency converter.

I think so; it seems that **the requirement to replace all incandescent bulbs with energy-saving bulbs is being revoked**

Yes, I’ll use energy-saving lights from now on:lol

There are really a lot of subsidies. Are energy-saving lamps also used for household lighting?

What was said on the 2nd floor is good, but it doesn’t clarify the issue that everyone is most concerned about: how individuals can purchase energy-saving light tubes that come with **subsidies**

There are subsidies, but they vary depending on the brand. Here, we mostly use Philips energy-saving lamps, and for those there are no subsidies; last year, a batch of Sunlight lamps was purchased for just over 5 yuan each. The low price is due to the subsidy, and their brightness is also good

I know there is a subsidy, but I don’t know how much it is

According to the regulations, subsidies are supposed to be provided, but no supplier is willing to sign any subsidy agreement with us, and the prices of energy-saving lamps also vary. I think the most obvious advantage is definitely the lower electricity costs. Spend less out of your own pocket.

There are subsidies, but they are meant for businesses. Individuals who simply purchase energy-efficient lighting fixtures do not receive any subsidies

Subsidies are given to manufacturing companies; when individuals purchase them, it is merely a price reduction.

I heard there are regulations, but I don’t know if they have been implemented at the grassroots level; I haven’t seen any announcements issued by companies or relevant organizations either. It’s probably reflected in the price.

Starting from June 15, residents can purchase energy-saving lamps that cost over ten yuan on the market for as little as 0.7 to 1 yuan, provided they bring their household registration book. A total of 5 million energy-saving lamps will be rolled out across the city. Their **purchase price is 6 yuan to 10 yuan per piece** ； During the promotion, **50% is covered by financial subsidies, with Beijing providing 40% subsidies**. Thus, individuals need to cover only the remaining 10% themselves. 　　Although only the residents of the four districts of Dongcheng, Xicheng, Xuanwu, and Chongwen were the first to benefit from these preferential measures, and although each family was allowed to purchase only 5 units, this measure of financial subsidy still sparked great interest among people. 　　In fact, as early as the end of 2007, the **Ministry of Finance** and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued the \"Interim Measures for the Management of Financial Subsidies for the Promotion of High-Efficiency Lighting Products\". In April this year, the Ministry of Finance and the **National Development and Reform Commission launched the promotion of the first batch of energy-efficient lighting products, with 50 million such products receiving financial subsidies. Subsequently, on May 8, a responsible official from the National Development and Reform Commission revealed that China plans to promote the use of 150 million high-efficiency lighting products across the country during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, through financial subsidies, in order to gradually replace incandescent lamps and other low-efficiency lighting products. 　　Chen Yansheng, president of the China Lighting Electrical Appliance Association, said that the \"energy-saving lamps\" promoted in Beijing and which are well known to us fall under the category of high-efficiency lighting products. A 10-watt energy-saving light bulb and a 60-watt standard incandescent bulb produce almost the same level of light. However, the lifespan of a regular incandescent lamp is about 1,000 hours, while that of an energy-saving lamp can reach around 6,000 hours. 　　Given this, energy-saving lamps should be quite popular. But why is it necessary to use **financial subsidies** to promote it? 　　At present, our country is the world’s largest producer and exporter of energy-saving lamps. Chen Yansheng told the Beijing Science and Technology News that the total amount of energy-saving lamps used for export in China accounts for approximately 60%-70% of the total production volume. These products are sold not only in various countries across Asia but also in countries in the Americas, Europe, and Africa. Over 80% of the energy-saving lamps in the world are produced in our country. 　　Dou Linping, deputy secretary-general of the China Lighting Electrical Appliance Association, said that in the United States, the European Union and other regions, energy-saving lamps can be seen everywhere in public facilities and places such as roads, parks, hotels, shopping malls, and sports venues, as well as in residential homes ； Moreover, they **no longer produce incandescent lamps. In our country, only a small portion of these public facilities and places use energy-saving lamps, and even fewer are used in ordinary people’s homes. 　　Reporters at the Yuchuanying lighting market in Beijing saw that there were clearly only a few consumers in front of the energy-saving light counters. One business owner said, “An ordinary incandescent bulb costs only 2 to 4 yuan, while a 5-watt energy-saving bulb costs 19.5 yuan. Many people think that the money saved on electricity is spent on the bulbs themselves.” ” 　　“Many people’s perception of energy-saving lighting products still remains at the stage where they believe that energy-saving lamps save electricity but not money. ”Chen Yansheng said. The production cost of energy-saving lamps is higher than that of ordinary incandescent lamps, and their manufacturing process is also more complex ； Therefore, the one-time cost of purchasing energy-saving lights may seem high, but upon closer calculation it is still a good deal, as “energy-saving lights consume only 1/5 of the electricity of regular incandescent bulbs”. 　　Hua Ruxin, a professor at the School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, believes that although energy-saving lamps have been available on China’s market for over 20 years, they still remain something that many people are aware of but few actually use. High prices, public unfamiliarity with it, and consumer confidence undermined by occasionally purchased inferior products... At such times, **guidance is needed**. 　　“**Promoting energy-saving lamps through financial subsidies has opened up sales channels for manufacturers of such products by means of **tendering processes. At the same time, by making energy-saving lamps available in every household, people will go from being unfamiliar with them to becoming familiar over time, and gradually come to understand the advantages of these lamps. ”Huaruxin said. 　　Huaruixin believes this is a “very trendy policy”. However, “this policy cannot be used for a long time, otherwise problems will arise.” 　　Long-term use of financial subsidies will cause producers to rely on procurement, leading to a lack of innovation in the industry and a decline in competitiveness; “this approach can work for one or two years.” 　　Ju Jingwen, a researcher at the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Beijing Science and Technology News that subsidies are generally used to support certain enterprises or the development of specific industries, such as the promotion of certain high-tech technologies or products. 　　“Take energy-saving lamps as an example; they have always been in a situation where their benefits are realized only outside the wall, while the advantages remain unseen inside it. Through years of development, its manufacturing technology has become increasingly sophisticated, and people now have a full understanding of its benefits. **It is very timely to use **subsidies to promote this at this time. ”The dramatic text says. 　　Some media reports suggest that if all the ordinary incandescent lamps in our country were replaced with energy-efficient lighting products, more than 60 billion kWh of electricity could be saved each year. This amount is close to the total electricity generated by the Three Gorges Dam throughout the year; it is equivalent to saving more than 22 million tons of standard coal, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 60 million tons, and reducing sulfur dioxide emissions by 590,000 tons. ” 　　In response, Dou Linping said, “This approach is merely theoretical and not appropriate.” Replacing all incandescent lamps in China with energy-saving lamps cannot be achieved through just one or two policies, nor within a few short years. ” 　　Dou Linping gave the example that the United States, the European Union, and other countries **began promoting energy-efficient lighting products through financial subsidies as early as the early 1990s. Unlike our country’s system, which specifies a fixed amount of subsidy, they provide a subsidy for each energy-saving light sold. More than a decade has passed, and energy-saving lamps still **have not been able to completely replace incandescent lamps. However, through years of promotion and guidance, the use of energy-saving lamps has become widespread. Therefore, “promotion is a gradual process.” ” 　　Chen Yansheng said that in the past, there were many manufacturers of energy-saving lamps in our country, and the quality of these lamps varied greatly. “The situation has improved significantly now, and its performance and service life have been recognized. **Stricter regulations, along with the establishment of standards for energy-saving lamps, have regulated the production and sales in this industry. ” 　　Hua Ruxin said that in terms of promotion, **if policies are introduced to restrict the production of ordinary incandescent bulbs or to increase taxes on them, while at the same time relaxing restrictions on energy-saving lighting products, this will help promote the use of such products.

There are some. **A certain percentage subsidy will be provided based on your energy savings.

**There are preferential policies, but their implementation is not yet perfect; it seems that companies purchasing energy-saving lamps do not benefit from these discounts.

I haven’t heard at work either that there are subsidies for using energy-saving lights. I bought quite a few energy-saving lights, and I haven’t heard of any subsidies; the money saved on electricity bills can be considered a subsidy for myself. Personally, I think a subsidy should be provided for purchasing solar energy.