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The Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) proposes changing bulbs to save energy.

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The ICE promotes the exchange of traditional bulbs for new ones more efficient, with the goal of reducing electricity consumption in all households.

The Institute's goal for this year is to replace at least 750,000 incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescent lamps, because they spend less energy.

This would enable the ICE to save 30 megawatts of power and reduce about $ 17 million of annual spending production of energy fuels.

Today, the Electrical Park in the country has installed a power of 2,000 megawatts and the demand is growing between 5% and 6% in a year.

The lighting accounts a 19% of national electricity consumption. From this percentage we are spending for electric lighting in homes an account of 4% in domestic consumption.

Salvador Lopez, director of the Energy Control Center of the ICE, said that these fluorescent bulbs are more expensive, but the initial investment will be offset by savings on the receipt of electricity in the future.

For example, a family that consumes 250 kilowatt (kWh) per month could save 30 kWh, with only changing three lamps bulbs.

In the monthly bill this represents a saving of about ¢ 2,025. In other words the payment will lower down in a house for ¢ 10,000 to ¢ 7,975.

In this calculation they estimated that in Costa Rica´s homes the lights remain on at least five hours a day.

Prices of these fluorescent bulbs vary, depending on brand and quality. However, they believe that those who meet the minimum standards required by the Institute cost between ¢1,000 and ¢3,000. Other exceeds these requirements and are more expensive.

The ICE took the first step of the plan. The entity is analyzing in a laboratory all “efficient” bulbs, available on the domestic market.

Then, certify which of these lamps actually consume less power and meet certain quality standards.

These products will have a special stamp so that consumers can identify them in supermarkets and other businesses stores.

In addition, the package will be labeled with information on energy consumption, light intensity and duration.

The outbreaks with distinctive "energy efficiency" will be on the market from in February 11th, the day on which the ICE will launch an information campaign to promote energy saving.