This Frost & Sullivan research service titled European Energy Efficient Lighting Markets provides revenue forecasts, market forces and competitive analyses. In this research, Frost & Sullivan's expert analysts thoroughly examine the energy-efficient lighting market in Western Europe, focusing on the CFL and LED sectors.

As the EU tightens the noose over the traditional incandescent lamps through stricter energy regulations, consumers are switching over to energy efficient lighting (EEL) in a bid to save energy. "The EU proposes to ban all incandescent lamps from 2009 onwards by gradually phasing them out of production," explains the analyst of this research. "Moreover, as the EU toughens its stand on climate change, sterner measures are being imposed on industries and member states to be more energy efficient." With the typical EEL being five times as efficient as an incandescent and lasting three years on average, the energy savings from these lamps alone result in very short return of investment time. As more consumers became aware of this, there has been a marked switch in preferences in domestic and commercial lighting from incandescent lighting to EEL, pushing the technology from niche segments into general lighting.

At the same time, rapid innovation in the EEL sector is resulting in improved light quality at competitive prices. "In an innovation-driven market such as this, companies and independent organisations alike are investing large amounts of money into research and development for making cheaper and more energy-efficient light sources," remarks the analyst. "As a result, the light quality has improved considerably and is on par with conventional light sources like incandescents." In addition, there has been a greater variety of lamps for the customer to choose from, allowing EEL to be used in a wider range of applications. Greater sustainability and increased cost savings are also being realised through continued research.

High Prices Dampen Uptake Levels

Despite recent efforts to produce EEL at competitive rates, price remains a concern; EEL is much more expensive than conventional forms of lighting. Although there is a return on investment in terms of energy savings, consumers are still unwilling to purchase compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) due to the high initial investment. Manufacturers will have a hard time inducing consumers to switch over from conventional forms of lighting to EEL. "With high initial investments required to install EEL, many potential consumers are unable or unwilling to invest in EEL," comments the analyst. "The main problem is the cost of manufacture, which is, on average, about 20 times higher for an EEL than an incandescent." With improvements in manufacturing processes, prices have been falling for EEL, but the difference in pricing between the traditional forms of lighting and EEL is still quite significant.

In this innovation-driven market, new advances in manufacturing technology are rapidly lowering costs. At present, however, the only way to get customers to purchase the much more expensive EEL is to decrease the price for consumers - either through subsidies or tax incentives or by selling EEL at lower prices initially and gradually raising the price over time as more people make the switch.

Market Sectors

Expert Frost & Sullivan analysts thoroughly examine the following application areas in this research:

Commercial: hotels, restaurants and bars

• Retail
• Industrial
• Public (including street lighting, public buildings, airports and monuments)
• Offices
• Residential

Technologies

The following technologies are covered in this research:

• Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL)
• Light emitting diodes (LED)

Key Discussions

• Executive Summary
• Overview of the Total European Energy Efficient Lighting Market
• Analysis of the European CFL Market
• Analysis of the European LED Market

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c87607