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The value of energy-conserving devices over conventional ones, like flourescent vs incandescent lights, was illustrated dramatically back in the early 1990's. General Electric saw business opportunity in the new markets of eastern Europe following the collapse of the Soviet Union and proposed to build a factory there to produce incandescent light bulbs and three new coal-fired generation plants. That sounded normal enough until someone pointed out that if the new factory were producing flourescent lights instead, the three new coal-fired power plants wouldn't even be needed.

posted 3 years ago
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