In a first for Asia, the Philippines plans to phase out inefficient incandescent bulbs in favor of more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

The move will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and cut household energy costs.

In her closing remarks at the 2008 Philippine Energy Summit, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced the country’s plans to phase out incandescent bulbs by January 2010. Australia made a similar move early last year, which was followed by Canada and other industrialized countries.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) acted as technical advisor to the Energy Summit, assisting the Department of Energy in developing plans to address climate change and reduce energy consumption.

“The most effective way we can reduce energy demand and greenhouse gases is by using energy more efficiently,” said Thomas Crouch, Deputy Director General of ADB’s Southeast Asia Department. “The climate change challenge is a global one. ADB will support and encourage other developing countries to follow the Government of Philippines’ lead and make the switch to more energy-efficient products like compact fluorescent lamps.”

ADB is considering extending a $30 million loan later this year to the Philippines to help fund a range of programs on energy efficiency, including pilot programs that could be continued as long-term development projects. Portions of the ADB funding could be used to provide CFLs to low-income families to mitigate the impact of the change from incandescent lighting.

While CFLs are more expensive to buy than incandescent bulbs, they pay for themselves in lower power bills within a year. CFLs use around 20% of the electricity used by incandescent bulbs to produce the same amount of light. Additionally, CFLs last six to ten times longer than the average incandescent bulb.

The switch to CFLs will result in household lighting costs falling by as much as 80%, and the country’s annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions falling 2 million metric tons starting in 2010. Additionally, national electricity demand is expected to fall by 2,000 megawatts, or the equivalent of electricity generated by six power plants.

Electric lighting generates emissions equal to 70% of those from all the world’s passenger vehicles, and 90% of the energy consumed by each bulb generates heat, which then adds to air-conditioning costs.