The Federal Government has implemented an initiative to ban the traditional incandescent light bulb by 2010, the first government in the world to do so. From 2010 new legislation will ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs, forcing consumers to use the more energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. A significant problem with the old bulbs is that around 90% of their energy used is lost in heat, whereas compact fluorescent fittings run much cooler. It takes a 60 watt incandescent fitting to make the same amount of light as a 20 watt compact fluorescent fitting.
The graphic above explain it all. Although more expensive to buy, compact fluorescents are cheaper to run, last longer and use less electricity (ie emit less greenhouse gasses) than incandescent fittings.
