The incandescent bulb is on its way out in Europe, and no more 100 W lamps will be on sale from September 1.

The first phase of Europe’s “Ban the Bulb” legislation came into force on September 1, removing 100 W (and higher power) incandescent bulbs from the market.

In a blog article entitled Lighting the way to the future, Andris Piebalgs, the EU’s Energy Commissioner, said that the European Commission is encountering "reservations as it is nudging Europe towards a new era of lighting."

Starting this month with a phasing-out of 100W incandescent bulbs and above, the European Union is gradually removing all wasteful lighting equipment from the European market, said Piebalgs. By 2020 this will save enough energy to power 11 million households each year while saving every family more than EUR 50 on their electricity bill.

Addressing the controversial nature of the legislation, Piebalgs said: “Although this move has been welcomed by many, some consumers are still uncomfortable with the idea of giving up their familiar light bulbs in favor of modern and more efficient alternatives. However, although the products might be different, they offer the same advantages and so much more.”

A selection of articles discuss the phase-out and capture various responses; not all positive, by any means.