GLOBAL LIGHTING CHALLENGE ANNOUNCES 8 BILLION LED LIGHTS PLEDGED TOWARD 10 BILLION GOAL AT CEM7
San Francisco (2 June 2020) – Today, at the Seventh Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7), Nils Vikmång, State Secretary from Ministry of the Environment and Energy in Sweden, and Bill Bien, Head of Strategy of Philips Lighting, announced that the Clean Energy Ministerial’s (CEM) Global Lighting Challenge has more than eight billion LED lighting products pledged toward the 10 billion goal, and more than 100 million deployed around the world.
As part of the event, Philips Lighting announced its aspiration to sell more than two billion energy efficient LED lights by 2020. Reaching this goal would save energy equivalent to decommissioning 60 medium-sized coal-fired power stations with emissions equivalent to 24 million cars. At the same time the company reaffirmed its pledge to make its global operations carbon neutral by 2020 and said that it expects electricity for its US operations to be 100% carbon neutral later this year.
“The Global Lighting Challenge is on the front line in the fight against climate change by raising awareness and stimulating much needed action,” said Bill Bien, Head of Strategy of Philips Lighting. “Delivering on the Philips Lighting pledge to sell more than 2 billion LED lights by 2020 will have a huge positive impact not only for our environment, but also for local economies by resulting in energy savings of around EUR 12 billion annually by 2020.”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada became the latest countries to join the coalition of CEM governments that have already endorsed and made commitments to the Challenge.
“The Challenge elevates work already being done in the private sector and creates a global platform of recognition,” said H.E. Dr. Matar Al Neyadi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy from UAE. “We’re proud to support this opportunity – where everyone, public and private sector alike, can work together to accomplish the 10 billion goal and avoid considerable greenhouse gas emissions.”
As part of their commitment to protecting the environment, the Vatican endorsed the GLC in a letter to the CEM. Monsignor Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, Chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences wrote, “I want to call out and commend the Clean Energy Ministerial’s Global Lighting Challenge, which is working to deploy 10 billion energy saving LED light bulbs as quickly as possible. Success in this challenge can significantly decrease energy consumption around the world while at the same time increase access to modern lighting services for the poorest of the world.”
At CEM7’s Public-Private Action Summit on June 2nd, new commitments were made to the Global Lighting Challenge by a number of private sector participants and one U.S. State.
Washington State’s government, utilities, businesses, and citizens have gained major economic and environmental benefits from their history of investments in high efficiency lighting spanning more than three decades. As part of their commitment, Washington will require new investment in cost-effective, high-efficiency lighting by strengthening their state’s energy code, ensuring their utilities capture all cost-effective electricity efficiency opportunities, growing state and private sector investment in modern lighting for public buildings, and securing safe and effective LED lighting for all streets and highways in the state. Washington should be able to achieve more than 2.5 million megawatt-hours of energy efficiency improvement of the next 20 years, nearly 3 times the annual electricity use of the City of Seattle.
“High efficiency lighting is not only a way to help reduce emissions, but it also helps cut costs for utilities and their customers,” said Washington State Governor Jay Inslee. “In Washington we’ve launched a successful LED conversion program for our small cities and continue to look for ways to spur transition to more energy efficient lighting across our state. This global challenge is a great way to highlight a cost-effective strategy that governments at all levels can adopt.”
MGM Resorts International has a comprehensive corporate sustainability strategy covering five key areas: Energy & Water Conservation, Green Building, Recycling & Waste Management, Sustainable Supply Chain along with Outreach & Education. As part of its Energy & Water Conservation efforts, the company made a commitment in 2014 to retrofit 1.3 million traditional light bulbs to high efficiency lamps. At this point in the initiative, MGM has already installed over 850,000 lamps, and as such is over half way towards its goal. The high efficiency lamp retrofit project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017 and is forecast to reduce lighting-specific energy use by as much as 90%. The project will play a key role in helping MGM Resorts reduce energy use by 20% by 2020, as committed to under the White House supported American Business Act on Climate Pledge released prior to COP21.
Cleveland Clinic committed to joining the Global Lighting Challenge and so the retrofits of all their hospitals as well as any new construction will count towards the global 10 billion goal. Cleveland Clinics are committed to tracking not only the cost and emission savings, but also the health benefits of advanced energy efficient lighting options. Cleveland Clinic Expects to retrofit 500,000 tubes and bulbs to LED over five years.
In addition to these strong commitments made during CEM7, a number of additional new members were highlighted on June 2nd – including DELux LED, Applied Sustainability Group, KoEnergies, ASE, Global Alliance for Energy Productivity, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), and UrbanVolt. Finally, two organizations – The Global Bright Light Foundation and Green Solar Africa – who help deliver lighting services to those living in rural communities without access to electricity also joined the Challenge and committed to the distribution of over 100,000 advanced lighting fixtures to bring light to those around the world most in need.
CEM7, a follow up to the 21st Annual Conference of the Parties (COP21) meeting, brought together global energy policymakers with the business community and clean energy experts to drive high-impact, real-world action. CEM7’s Public-Private Action Summit featured opportunities for energy ministers and business leaders to highlight ambitious clean energy efforts and announce new actions to help achieve national and global clean energy goals – such as those listed above.
Global Lighting Challenge:
Since its launch six months ago, the GLC has built a public-private volunteer coalition of more than 40 governments, manufacturers, retailers, and expert groups working together to accomplish its 10 billion product goal. The GLC provides a high-profile global platform to recognize public- and private sector leaders driving the global transition to efficient lighting and cutting global carbon emissions. The GLC will continue to seek additional commitments until the goal of 10 billion bulbs is achieved.
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