DOHA: Qatari authorities say they will gradually ban electricity bulbs of 100, 75 and 60 watts and allow the use of bulbs only of 40 watt for a while to save electricity.
The plan has begun to be implemented in phases.
First, bulbs of 100 and 75 watt will be banned. In the second phase bulbs of 60 watt will be phased out and in the third phase 40-watt bulbs will be done away with and only electricity-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) will be permitted to be used.
The plan is to ban the import of the bulbs that consumer more power, local Arabic dailies reported yesterday.
The consumption of electricity and water in Qatar is the highest in the world which is 15,000 kilowatt of electricity and 223 cubic metres of water per capita annually, Ali Mohammed Al Ali, an official from utility distributors, Kahramaa, told the Central Municipal Council (CMC) on Tuesday.
“Kahramaa has set plans to reduce consumption by 20 percent for electricity and 35 percent for water within the next five years, by raising awareness, creating community partnership and rationalising consumption,” added Ali Al Ali.
In his presentation to the CMC members Al Ali mentioned that according to this five-year plan the nation will save QR371m on electricity and QR1.78bn on natural gas as well as QR160m on water consumption.
“The Industrial Area has the highest consumption of power and water, and Kahramaa will enforce a policy to stop importing light glow lamps more than 40 watts, and changing AC applications and their specifications,” said Al Ali.
Introducing solar power systems will help meet two percent of Qatar’s electricity need and subscribers will be required to install solar panels for water heaters in residential and commercial buildings.
He urged CMC members to work jointly with Kahramaa for raising public awareness and encouraging rationalisation.
The Peninsula
