Learning from History: Audio Incandescent and Solid State

Revision, additions: December 2, November 29     Original Post: November 28

The beginning of the EU review of the 2009 light bulb regulations which sees the November 25 launch of the EU (European) Commission alteration proposals has been covered here earlier with extensive analysis.
Subsequent posts have covered industry views, mainly LightingEurope (Philips, Osram and other manufacturers).

The main recommendation here as part of the first stage 6 review by the Commission, concerning the future of halogen replacements, is to allow frosted halogen bulbs, which were not banned for any energy efficiency reason but rather to push sales of CFLs, an outdated legacy ban given that solid-state LEDs exist in both clear and frosted versions and will "be bought more and more" according to both the Commission and its energy efficiency advisers, on the basis of becoming "ever better and cheaper", which rather takes away the whole point of the ban.


Compare the close historical relationship to incandescent audio tubes/valves...
after all, who are the major light bulb manufacturers?



source  vintage ad browser

     





The tubes (structurally like incandescent bulbs) were not banned in radios and other audio equipment when "ever better and cheaper" solid-state transistors (structurally like LE diodes) came along: manufacturers - not governments - supplied energy-efficient market demand.


Today's EU Commission would have jumped on top of the "energy-guzzling" tubes.


Never mind that they have retained niche uses - and launched a rock and roll guitar amplifier age.
As with light bulbs, the Killjoy Commission would have been at the forefront of ban implementation to make sure that never happened - which just goes to show that setting usage standards does not just ban existing products - they ban what could have existed, and never will.
Relating such argument to light bulbs, see the post "What We Will Never See".




So who do the Commission talk to about all this?
"Stakeholders".
Ordinary people are never seen by the EU as stakeholders. They just have to swallow what's coming to them.
In fairness, "everyone can't be heard", but Consultation Forums that fill the room with Energy Agency Yes-Men hardly make for balanced conversation.

This is also why alternative views to the EU process have been posted here in recent days.




How Regulations are Wrongly Justified
14 points, referenced:
Includes why the overall society savings aren't there, and even if they were, why alternative policies are better, including alternative policies that target light bulbs.