The government introduced a nationwide program yesterday to subsidize the use of 150 million energy-efficient lighting products.The green drive was jointly launched by the Ministry of Finance and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).
A circular posted on the NDRC's website said the government will offer a 30 percent subsidy on wholesale purchases and a 50 percent subsidy on retail sales of energy-saving light bulbs.
It did not, however, specify the quantity of bulbs that will qualify for the subsidies.
The government said it will subsidize manufacturers who bid the lowest supply price for the program.
Wang Jianguo is deputy manager of Panasonic Lighting Products Co Ltd. He told China Daily in Beijing yesterday: "With the government subsidy, we'd like to lower our price to attract more customers."
Manufacturers of energy-efficient lighting products must comply with national energy-saving requirements and have well-established aftersales services, the NDRC said.
A list of approved manufacturers and the price of their products will be decided through an opening bidding process, it said.
Liu Qianguang is vice-director of the energy-saving and environmental protection center under the Beijing municipal commission of development and reform. He said: "Beijing is taking the lead in this nationwide energy-saving campaign and will launch a program to promote the use of 5 million energy-efficient lighting products by 2010.
"In the past three years, Beijing has promoted the use of 1.8 million energy-efficient light bulbs," he told China Daily yesterday.
"This has reduced power consumption by 39 million kW, a saving of 28 million yuan ($3.9 million)."
Liu said the capital's energy-efficient lighting drive covered the subway network and all of the elementary and middle schools in urban areas.
The program will be launched in welfare institutions, universities, supermarkets and shopping malls this year, he said.
"As the next step, we intend to get more citizens involved," Liu said.
Beijing resident Wang Yeping said yesterday she had not bought any energy-efficient light bulbs because they were too expensive.
"The energy-efficient bulbs are about 10 to 15 times more expensive than ordinary bulbs," she said.
But energy-efficient bulbs last for up to 12,000 hours, much longer than normal bulbs, a researcher surnamed Yang who works at the energy-saving and environmental protection center, said.
Questions:
1.The government will subsidize retail sales of energy-saving light bulbs by how much?
2.What is the name of Wang Jianguo’s position at Panasonic Lighting Products Co Ltd?
3.How much more expensive are the energy efficient bulbs than ordinary bulbs?
Answers:
1.50 percent.
2.Deputy manager
3.10 to 15 times.
（英語點津 Celene 編輯）
About the broadcaster:
Jonathan Stewart is a media and journalism expert from the United States with four years of experience as a writer and instructor. He accepted a foreign expert position with chinadaily.com.cn in June 2007 following the completion of his Master of Arts degree in International Relations and Comparative Politics.
