CFL torchieres retail easily on the Web
CFL torchieres retail easily on the Web
There have been a number of noteworthy developments recently in the US regarding compact fluorescent torchieres (or uplighters). At least five torchiere manufacturers have begun manufacturing Energy Star-compliant torchieres.
These new fixtures, consuming between 50 and 80 watts apiece, feature a range of light sources, including multiple circlines, four-finger lamps, and the new, fully dimmable 67-watt 2D lamps from General Electric. Energy Star torchieres are also now eligible for millions of dollars of coordinated utility incentives in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and parts of Montana, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts.
Unlike past retail rebate programs, which relied on in-store coupons and extensive paperwork processing, these new programs utilize competitively allocated manufacturer buydowns (also called manufacturer rebates). Utility incentives are paid directly to competitively selected manufacturers, allowing the final purchasers to benefit from even greater retail price reductions. This concept was first tried successfully with screw-based compact fluorescent bulbs in southern California in the early 1990s (See IAEEL 1/95). The method has also been applied in the Polish Efficient Lighting Project (PELP) (See IAEEL 3-4/95) and in the UK Energy Saving TrustŐs large-scale CFL programs in the last few years, but is now being applied to entire fixtures as well.
The California Board for Energy Efficiency and California-based Pacific Gas & Electric Co. have also funded a pilot test of internet-based delivery of Energy Star torchieres. The recently launched LightSite is a place to learn more about the problems with halogen torchieres and order them directly. LightSite provides an on-line catalog of all the available Energy Star units with at least 3 500 lumens of nominal lamp light output, and automatically includes local utility incentives, where applicable, in the price paid by purchasers. LightSite utilizes customer zip code information to determine pricing, so it can be readily expanded to include new US utilities as incentives become available. Those who prefer to order by phone may do so by calling a toll-free phone number. Most units are selling for $29 to $50 plus shipping within the US to customers eligible for utility incentives.
In addition, the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy have added a retail-store finder to their web site, www.energystar.gov. US visitors can locate the retail stores closest to their zip-code area that stock Energy Star fixtures, and are given the option to link to LightSite if they wish to order directly.
Chris Calwell
calwell@ecosconsulting.com
lightsite: www.lightsite.net