CEIS Petroleum Update July 2012

Caribbean Energy Information System (CEIS) July 2012 on human health and the environment.

In this issue of the CEIS Petroleum Update, we will outline some key facts and highlight some of the health concerns related to the use of Compact Fluorescent Bulbs.

Is there a to pay for the use of

History of Fluorescent lights.

Geissler Tube

Fluorescent Bulbs?

Every consumer would like to enjoy the benefit of saving a kilowatt here or there. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) have been promoted as one of the most energy efficient light bulbs in production across the world. Many have tested and proven that these bulbs actually allow savings in electricity consumption when

According to fluorescent lamps pioneer, the earliest form of fluorescent lighting was invented by physicist Heinrich Geissler in 1856. Although he was not intending to create a light source when he discovered this, he found that a gasfilled tube would give off a bluish-green light when stimulated by an electrical current. This discovery led to development in lighting technology with many

compared to the standard Incandescent continued on page 2/ bulbs previously used by all CONTACT US consumers. However, not many people know whether these Caribbean Energy Information System bulbs have any negative impact

CARIBBEAN PETROLEUM UPDATE

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Scientific Research Council Hope Gardens, Kingston 6, Jamaica 1-876-927-1779 (Telephone) 1-876-977-1840 (Fax) ceis@src-jamaica.org www.ceis-caribenergy.org

is a monthly Bulletin which highlights petroleum issues affecting or relevant to the Caribbean, international developments that may affect the region’s way of life and movements in oil prices and retail prices for fuel regionally.

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Call: 1-876-927-1779 | Caribbean Petroleum Update : July 2012

Is there a price to pay for the use of Fluorescent Bulbs?...continued from page 1 respected scientists including Thomas Edison attempting to create a bulb that could compete with the then low price and effectiveness of the incandescent bulb.

In 1901 an American inventor named Peter Cooper Hewitt (U.S. patent 889,692 - first U.S. Patent) developed a more successful fluorescent bulb using a sealed tube filled with low pressure mercury. Even though Hewitt had developed a much more efficient bulb compared to other lighting technologies at the time he was unable to sell the bulb due to the odd colour of the lighting it produced. However, in 1926 scientist Edmund Germer was able to produce a fluorescent bulb that was sold commercially. This bulb was developed by increasing the pressure in the tube to make it more stable then adding a fluorescent coating that transformed the UV light to a more pleasing colour.

Further development of the fluorescent bulb occurred during the energy crisis

in the early 1970s when engineer Edward E. Hammer while working in General Electric (GE) lab in Ohio was assigned the task by GE to work on energy efficient bulbs. Resulting from this assignment was the 1973 invention of a standard-shaped 40-watt fluorescent lamp, called the F-40 Watt Miser.

The F-40 Watt Miser had lower power consumption than the previously developed fluorescent bulbs and the incandescent bulb. Hammer did this by changing the gas and tweaking various components inside the lamp.

How does the Fluorescent Bulb work?

A fluorescent bulb consists of a glass tube that is filled with mercury vapour at low pressure. Each end of the tube has a coiled metal (tungsten) filament and the inside of the tube is coated with a phosphorous substance. Once the light is switched on, an electric current flows through the filaments causing them to get hot and glow (like a regular light bulb). A voltage applied between

the two filaments causes electrons to be sucked from one filament to the other.

While zipping through the tube, electrons crash into mercury atoms and start to glow and send out ultra-violet (UV) light. This UV light by itself can cause sun burn. However, the phosphorous substance inside the tube allows phosphorous atoms to absorb the UV lights and send out the white lights which illuminates from a fluorescent tube. The conversion of light from one type to another is called fluorescence, which gave the fluorescent lamp its name.

Why the Fluorescent Bulb is more energy efficient than an Incandescent When compared to an Incandescent bulb a fluorescent bulb uses less energy. For the same amount of light they need less power than the incandescent bulb. A Fluorescent bulb uses approximately 1/3 the energy used by the Incandescent and have a longer service life (8 to 15 times) – the life is continued on page 3/

Table 1 Light Output (Incandescent Vs CFL)

Figure 1 Images of Fluorescent bulbs

Light Output

Incandescent Bulb

CFL Equivalent

250 lumens

25 watts

5 watts

800 lumens

60 watts

13—16 watts

1,600 lumens

100 watts

23– 27 watts

2,600 lumens

150 watts

42 watts

Source: http://www.homedepot.com

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Is there a price to pay for the use of Fluorescent Bulbs?...continued from page 2 reduced the more often the bulb is switched on. The Incandescent bulbs have a very thin tungsten filament that is housed inside a glass sphere and typically come in sizes like 60 watt, 75 watt, 100 watt and so on. Electricity runs through the filament. Because the filament is so thin, it offers a good resistance to the electricity, and this resistance turns electrical energy into heat. The heat is enough to make the filament white hot, and the "white" part illuminates to light. The filament glows because of the heat. However, the problem with Incandescent bulbs is that the heating process wastes a lot of electricity. Heat is not light, and the purpose of the light bulb is for light, so all of the energy spent creating heat is somewhat wasted. As a result Incandescent bulbs are very inefficient. They produce approximately 15 lumens per watt of input power.

As explained earlier the fluorescent bulb on the other-hand uses a completely different method to produce light. In the process, less heat is produced which makes it more energy efficient. A Fluorescent bulb can produce between 50 and 100 lumens per watt. This makes fluorescent bulbs four to six (4–6) times more efficient than incandescent bulbs. That's why a 15-watt Fluorescent tube produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Things to consider when purchasing a Fluorescent bulb  Bulb design – Bulb shape, base type,

and lighting controls  Light Output & Power Consumption – Watts, lumens, equivalent wattage, lumens per watt and bulb life  Colour – Soft white, bright white and daylight C

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 Safety and Recycling – Cleanup and

rupting the body's production of the hormone melatonin, the intense light could trigger migraines and could exacerbate a range of existing skin problems.

disposal guidelines Health concerns regarding the use of Fluorescent bulbs

Although the Fluorescent bulbs only contain 4 milligrams of mercury - a fraction of what you would find in a standard mercury thermometer or wristwatch battery, it is advised that care should be taken with the use of these bulbs especially in the event of the tube being broken. The following are recommended actions to be taken in the event of a broken Fluorescent tube:

Fluorescent tubes contain a small amount of mercury, which is a toxic metal. Mercury is a very carcinogenic substance and has negative effects on human health. This fact not only complicates their disposal under normal conditions, the problem is exacerbated when the lamp is broken and the mercury is allowed out of the tube. The symptoms of mercury poisoning typically include sensory impairment (vision, hearing, and speech), a lack of coordination, skin discoloration, tingling, numbness, itching, burning or pain, and desquamation (shedding of skin).

 Evacuate the room, taking care not to





The Mercury in a fluorescent tube is typically present as either elemental mercury liquid, vapour, or both, since the liquid readily evaporates at room temperature. When broken indoors, lamps may emit sufficient mercury vapour to present health concerns.

Breakage of multiple lamps presents a greater concern. Injection of mercury into the body through broken glass that is contaminated is of particular concern. It is also believed that several carcinogenic chemicals and toxins (including phenol, naphthalene and styrene) are released when the environmentally-friendly/energy efficient Fluorescent lamps are switched on.

 



step on the broken glass littering the floor Ventilate the room for a MINIMUM of 15 minutes (EPA recommendation) DO NOT clean the debris of the broken lamp with a vacuum cleaner as this will spread toxic mercury droplets throughout the house either immediately or upon the future use of the vacuum.

Use protective gloves and dump gloves after use.

Use a broom or brush to sweep the debris into a dustpan; empty the contents of the dustpan into a plastic bag; seal the plastic bag DO NOT dispose of the plastic bag into an ordinary refuse receptacle

The debris is a Hazardous Material and must be disposed of properly.

Depending on the severity of the spill, a more thorough clean-up regimen may need to be employed. The use of private companies that specializes in this type of operation may be required.

Mercury is a toxin, and should be treated with the utmost of care and respect.

Other associated symptoms or health concerns that have been raised regarding the use of these bulbs include, the possibility that the bulbs could result in higher breast cancer rates if used late at night, the light that Fluorescents emits closely mimicked daylight thereby dis-

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Call: 1-876-927-1779 | Caribbean Petroleum Update : July 2012

Is there a price to pay for the use of Fluorescent Bulbs?...continued from page 3 Conclusion Caribbean Countries have been on the move towards increased use of energy efficient bulbs including the most popular - Fluorescent. These bulbs come in a range of shapes, sizes, colour temperatures, and brightness levels, making it simple to replace most Incandescent bulbs with a Fluorescent alternative. Although these bulbs cost more, they are significantly more energy efficient than the standard Incandescent bulbs. However, little has been done to outline the hazards that exist and possible health implications associated with the use of these bulbs. The mercury contained in the bulbs can cause serious health problems more so if the bulbs are broken. Many Caribbean Nationals are not aware of proper ways in which to dispose of these bulbs and the necessary steps to take in cleaning up the broken debris in the event the bulb is broken. This along with the fact that there are possible health effects associated the use of these bulbs places the nationals at greater risks. In addition, there are no existing disposal/recycling facilities in the region to recycle these bulbs. It is therefore imperative that Governments of the region in their move towards a sustainable energy future not only encouraging the use of these energy efficient bulbs, but in the process educate the public regarding the associated health implications with mercury; proper use and disposal of the damaged bulbs; and most importantly provide the necessary infrastructure to properly dispose of or recycle them.ď‚Ą

CLF Color & Mood CFLs are available in a wide variety of shades of white light, ranging from yellowish to white to bluish white light, which allows you to customize the mood of your space. Many CFLs come in "warm" colors to match the yellowish light of incandescent bulbs, but you can also choose "cooler" colors with whiter or bluer light .ď‚Ą

CFL outshines incandescent bulbs

What Color Would Work Best For My Use? With CFLs you have options for your white light. Light color is measured on the Kelvin scale (K). As you see below, lower numbers mean the light appears yellowish and higher numbers mean the light is whiter or bluer. Learn more.

Warm White, Soft White

Cool White, Bright White

Natural or Daylight

Standard color of incandescent bulbs.

Good for kitchens and work spaces.

Good for reading.

2700K

3000K

3500K

4100K

5000K

6500K

SOURCE: www.cflknowhow.org

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Caribbean Petroleum Update : July 2012 | Call: 1-876-927-1779

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CARIB PETROLEUM NEWS & HAPPENINGS CUBA

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

India to cooperate with Cuba in energy, telecom and tourism >> 14/07/2012

The Trinidad's energy sector contracts in first quarter of 2012 >> 03/07/2012

INTERNATIONAL

JAMAICA JPS pays $18.42 for each kilowatt hour sold to grid >> 23/07/2012

Nigeria's booming illegal oil refineries >> 26/07/2012

Net Billing purchase price of Energy >>20/07/2012

Providence Resources finds 'more than 1bn barrels of oil' off Irish coast >> 25/07/2011

Paulwell to seitch power pricing policy >> 16/07/2012

Warning over oil production drop >>21/07/2012 Oil prices could be rigged by traders warns G20 report >> 16/07/2012ď‚Ą

Electricity rates not falling along with fuel costs >> 12/07/2012

Image source: www.solarbuzzjamaica.com

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Call: 1-876-927-1779 | Caribbean Petroleum Update : July 2012

REGULAR UNLEADED GASOLINE AVERAGE PRICES AT THE PUMP July 2012 Retail prices for Regular Unleaded Gasoline in the sixteen Caribbean countries at the end of July 2012 reflected decreases in prices in twelve countries when compared to the previous month. Slight increases in prices were seen in two countries (St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines) while the other two countries (Antigua & Barbuda and Trinidad & Tobago) saw prices remaining relatively stable. The prices seen in July 2012 have been the lowest prices seen over the 3 months prior - a welcome change for consumers in the region.ď‚Ą

Regular Unleaded Gasoline Average Retail Price (US$/Litre) 2012 COUNTRIES

JAN FEB

MAR

APR MAY JUN JUL

ANTIGUA/ BARBUDA BAHAMAS [91 OCT] BARBADOS BELIZE [87 OCT] B.V.I [87 OCT] DOMINICA GRENADA (95 OCT) GUYANA JAMAICA 87 Octane[E10] MONTSERRAT ST. KITTS/ NEVIS ST. LUCIA ST. VINCENT/ GRENADINES SURINAME [95 OCT] TRINIDAD/ TOBAGO [92 OCT] TURKS/ CAICOS

1.23 1.33 1.55 1.41 1.26 1.12 1.23 1.11 1.23 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.19 1.40 0.42 1.58

1.23 1.44 1.66 1.51 1.29 1.19 1.36 1.09 1.32 1.29 1.32 1.22 1.13 1.49 0.42 1.61

1.23 1.46 1.72 1.54 1.29 1.25 1.42 1.09 1.37 1.39 1.29 1.24 1.17 1.52 0.42 1.70

1.23 1.35 1.59 1.45 1.27 1.14 1.28 1.08 1.30 1.21 1.19 1.22 1.16 1.43 0.42 1.58

CHART:

1.23 1.47 1.77 1.55 1.29 1.30 1.42 1.16 1.32 1.41 1.28 1.25 1.21 1.54 0.42 1.78

1.23 1.46 1.78 1.49 1.29 1.33 1.36 1.17 1.27 1.4 1.24 1.27 1.17 1.46 0.42 1.68

1.23 1.39 1.70 1.47 1.24 1.22 1.28 1.07 1.26 1.28 1.22 1.28 1.21 1.43 0.42 1.60

7 Mths AVG 1.23 1.41 1.68 1.49 1.28 1.22 1.34 1.11 1.30 1.31 1.25 1.24 1.18 1.47 0.42 1.65

NOTE: *US Gallon = 3.785 L *Imperial Gallon = 4.546 L *As at November 1, 2009 MTBE was phased out from all gasoline blends in Jamaica and replaced with 10% Ethanol.

US$/Litre

Comparative Retail Pump Prices Regular Unleaded Gasoline JULY Avg vs 7 Mths Avg (Jan - July 2012)

1.8 1.6 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0

JUL

AVG

16 Caribbean Countries

See prices for all products at www.cippet.org .

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Caribbean Petroleum Update : July 2012 | Call: 1-876-927-1779

Average Weekly & Monthly Crude Oil Prices (May Jul 2012)

100.00 95.00

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96.98

90.34

US$/BBL US$/BBL

90.00 85.00 80.00

84.43

75.00 70.00

65.00 60.00 May 2012

55.00

Jun 2012

Jul 2012

50.00

WK 1

WK 2

WK 3

WK 4

Mth Avg

Period

Average Monthly World Crude Oil Prices (2009 - 2011) 109.61

108 98

US$/BBL

International Crude Oil prices over the three months period May—Jul. 2012 saw prices in Jul averaging at US$87.78/BBL. When compared to the average prices seen in May and June, this average price was 4.6% lower than May’s and 6.7% higher than June’s average price. The highest price seen in Jul was US$90.34/BBL in the third week. This price was approximately 6.9% lower than the highest price seen over the three months period (first week of May US$96.98/BBL).

88.14

88 78

76.19

68

58 48

2009

2010

2011

38

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Jan

Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Jul

Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Period

Caribbean Energy Information System (CEIS) primary report of historical annual petroleum energy statistics provided for 18 Caribbean Countries.

Included are data on total energy production, consumption, and trade; overviews of petroleum, natural gas, electricity, as well as financial and environmental indicators for over twenty years.

Yr Avg

Subscriptions If you wish to subscribe (free of charge) or cancel your subscription to the CARIBBEAN PETROLEUM UPDATE, send us an email at:

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