11 October 2005
Ecobulb to Save Another $5.8 Million in Electricity Costs
A further two Ecobulb promotions by Christchurch-based company Energy Mad, in conjunction with the West Coast Electric
Power Trust, Network Waitaki and the Waitaki Power Trust, are set to save $5.8 million in electricity costs in the two
regions.
A total of 21,000 customers of the West Coast Electric Power Trust, Network Waitaki and the Waitaki Power Trust will be
given the opportunity to buy five Ecobulbs for the low price of $10 from participating supermarkets.
The two promotions are set to save enough electricity to power 1,300 homes, saving millions in electricity costs for the
two regions. The West Coast region involves 10,000 households and will save $2.7 million in energy costs which is enough
to power 600 homes, while the Waitaki region encompasses 11,000 households and will save $3.1 million in electricity
which would power 700 homes.
Ecobulb is a high performance alternative to the ordinary lightbulb, lasts 10 times longer than the normal lightbulb,
and uses far less power.
Director Chris Mardon says that company plans to get five Ecobulbs into 800,000 New Zealand homes. This would see the
country saving enough power to supply a city the size of Hamilton or Dunedin.
“This is the way to stave off another power crisis and prevent the need for a new large power station costing $400
million,” he says. “It will also save the need for $800 million worth of new transmission lines.”
The huge potential of the Ecobulb was confirmed late last year when the company ran its first trial project in South
Canterbury with the support of Line Trust South Canterbury and the Pak’n Save, New World and Four Square stores, and
saved enough electricity to power 1,500 homes.
The Tasman region has recently been introduced to the power of the Ecobulb, with 34,000 consumers targeted.
The combination of the four South Island regional promotions means a total of 75,000 households have been targeted in
the last year for a combined electricity saving of over $20 million dollars over the next five years. The next regional
promotion will be announced shortly.
ENDS