The European Union (EU) will start to phase out traditional light bulbs in favor of energy saving ones under new rules which take effect on Tuesday.

As from September 1, all incandescent bulbs of over 100 watts will be banned in EU shops and other bulbs with lower wattage will be phased out in three years.

EU member states agreed in December last year to gradually stop use of old-style bulbs by the end of 2012 as part of a climate change package on reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. The European Commission hopes that the phasing out will save close to 80 TWh (terawatthours) -- roughly the annual electricity consumption of Belgium -- by 2020, and will lead to a reduction of about 32 million tons of carbon dioxide emission per year.

Lighting may represent up to a fifth of a household's electricity consumption. Depending on the number of lamps installed, an average household switching from conventional bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps could make net savings of between 25 and 50 euros (35.7 and 71 U.S. dollars) a year on their electricity bill, according to the commission.

Before the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the Philippines had already announced their plans to phase out traditional bulbs.

(Xinhua News Agency September 1, 2009)