Potential of new lighting technologies in reducing household lighting energy use and CO2 emissions in Finland

Abstract

Using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can significantly reduce the current household lighting energy use in Finland during 2020–2050. Our calculations show that the potential of using LEDs in reducing household lighting energy use and corresponding CO2 emissions in Finland during 2020–2050 can be significant. Reductions from the current level of Finnish household lighting energy use (1.8 TWh/a) were 59 % in 2020, 72 % in 2030 and 78 % in 2050, when a high LED penetration was assumed. Lighting energy savings in 2020 would mean a 1.3 % reduction from the current total electricity use in Finland (84.2 TWh/a). The starting point in 2012 was that the share of incandescent lamps was 32 % and the share of LED lamps 6 % of the total amount of lamps in an average household. Using the current average emissions factor (current electricity production structure), the saved amount of energy in 2020 means 234,000 tonnes of CO2. Using the marginal emissions factor, the saved amount of energy means 920,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.