Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corp., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corp., announced on April 14, 2008, that it will discontinue the production of regular incandescent light bulbs by the end of fiscal 2010 in order to contribute to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The company has been engaged in the incandescent lighting business for the 120 years since its founding. Its production lines with an output capacity of 40 million units a year (2006 data) will be completely closed down.

The products to be discontinued are 81 types of regular incandescent bulb (including ball-shaped bulbs) with E26-size bases. The company will shift its business focus to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, although it will continue to sell a small number of incandescent bulbs for specific uses, such as dimming control, for some time to come. Replacing incandescents with CFLs and LED lamps is expected to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 500,000 tons in 2010, as compared with current levels.

Toshiba commercialized the world's first ball-shaped CFL named "Neoball" in 1980, and has sold a total of 120 million units of the Neoball series. The company is now stepping up efforts to promote the transition to CFLs by releasing, in mid-July 2008, a new model, "Neoball-Z Real Pride," which consumes only 10 watts of electricity with life expectancy of 12,000 hours, twice longer than conventional one. Furthermore, it intends to improve the performance of LED lamps, which are receiving growing attention as a new light source.

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2008_07/pr1601.htm
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http://www.japanfs.org/db/1962-e
- Fluorescent Bulbs Replace Incandescent in World Heritage Site Buildings to Reduce CO2 Emissions (Related JFS article)
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Posted: 2008/08/09 05:56:26 AM

TAG Eco-product/Business , Energy , Global warming , Manufacturing industry