Spotlight and downlighter bulbs next to be banned by EU

Traditional spotlights and some kinds of halogen downlighters used in kitchens and bathrooms are expected to fall foul of the regulations being drawn up by the European Commission.

The new ban, due to come in next year, is being pushed through despite an increasingly bitter consumer backlash against existing rules which outlaw the selling of "non-directional" incandescent light bulbs of the kind used in living rooms and bedrooms.
Energy saving experts are currently drawing up recommendations for the new rules on so-called "directional" light bulbs, which focus and reflect light in a single direction, but the ban is expected to include incandescent spotlights and mains voltage halogen reflector bulbs.
The regulations are also expected to encourage the use of new technology such as LED lamps, but currently these cost up to £40 for a single LED light bulb.

Peter Hunt, chief executive of the British Lighting Association which represents the lighting industry, said: "We expect the least efficient bulbs will be banned and there are now energy efficient halogen lamps that save around 30 per cent of energy used.

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Yikebike

A New Zealand team is behind a radical new electric bike which is being officially launched on Wednesday in Germany.

The Yikebike Mini-Farthing is touted as the world's smallest electric bike, weighing less than 10kgs.

A promotional video on the Christchurch company's website shows it is hoping to catch the city commuter market.

The bike is designed for short trips, and has a top speed of 20km/h.

It can also be folded up and taken on buses and trains.

'Artificial trees' to cut carbon

Engineers say a forest of 100,000 "artificial trees" could be deployed within 10 to 20 years to help soak up the world's carbon emissions.
The trees are among three geo-engineering ideas highlighted as practical in a new report.
The authors from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers say that without geo-engineering it will be impossible to avoid dangerous climate change.
The report includes a 100-year roadmap to "decarbonise" the global economy.

Launching the report, lead author Dr Tim Fox said geo-engineering should not be viewed as a "silver bullet" that could combat climate change in isolation.
He told BBC News it should be used in conjunction with efforts to reduce carbon emissions and to adapt to the effects of climate change.
Many climate scientists calculate that the world has only a few decades to reduce emissions before there is so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that a dangerous rise in global temperature is inevitable.
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Energy suppliers overcharge customers by £100

Customers are being overcharged by £100 a year to heat and light their homes as suppliers fail to pass on price cuts, research by the Government's consumer watchdog suggests.Britain’s energy companies are paying much less for the power they supply, as prices on the wholesale market have halved in the past 12 months to reach the lowest levels in almost three years.
But despite the reductions, household electricity and gas bills are still higher than they were last summer, averaging more than £1,200 a year.
Consumer experts say the high prices charged to British families mean there is still room for further cuts, of as much as 10 per cent on gas bills and 3.5 per cent on electricity bills, bringing annual savings of £96.40.
Energy firms are estimated to be making an extra £2.2billion by failing to pass on the discounts to every household.
Pressure on suppliers is being increased by Ofgem, the industry regulator, which has given them until next week to explain why they have not passed on wholesale savings to their customers.
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