Is the total amount of LED lighting product financial subsidies less than that of energy-saving lamps?

　　A reporter learned recently from a relevant source that the LED lighting product financial subsidy plan jointly drafted by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance may be announced as early as the end of the year.

　　The source revealed that the LED lighting product financial subsidy method will follow the energy-saving lamp subsidy format, with bidding to select manufacturers and supply prices. Only the products of winning bidders will be eligible to enjoy a certain degree of financial subsidy on the basis of the agreed winning bid price. Subsidy targets may still be divided into two categories: bulk users and urban-rural residents. Among them, the subsidy intensity for urban-rural residents will exceed that for bulk users.

　　The source stated that this subsidy is limited in intensity, and the total subsidy amount is less than that of energy-saving lamps.

　　The "Interim Measures for the Administration of Financial Subsidy Funds for the Promotion of High-Efficiency Lighting Products" promulgated in 2008 stipulates that enterprises promoting high-efficiency lighting products and their agreed supply prices shall be determined through bidding. The state implements unified bidding and, based on the bidding results, publicly announces the winning enterprises, high-efficiency lighting products, and their corresponding agreed supply prices.

　　Among them, for each high-efficiency lighting product purchased by bulk users, the central government provides a subsidy of 30% of the agreed supply price; for each high-efficiency lighting product purchased by urban and rural residents, the central government provides a subsidy of 50% of the agreed supply price.

　　According to this person, the LED lighting product financial subsidy plan began soliciting opinions from LED lighting product manufacturers in July-August. At present, the domestic LED lighting market is sluggish, and the industry hopes that the subsidy policy can be introduced before the off-season of the industry in the first quarter of next year, in order to boost the market. The industry has basically reached a consensus that the subsidy policy will be introduced at the earliest by the end of this year and at the latest in early next year, but the specific timing of the policy's introduction has not yet been determined.

　　Chen Yansheng, Chairman of the China Association of Lighting Electrical Appliances, believes that subsidizing LED lighting products will be a gradual development process. Choosing to introduce LED lighting product subsidy policies at this moment will play more of a guiding role for the industry. The subsidies will not be too strong at the beginning, and relevant departments should gradually expand the scope and intensity of subsidies based on the implementation effects of the subsidy policy.

　　Industry insiders suggest that before introducing subsidy policies, the standards such as which products are encouraged and what technical requirements are imposed on products should be announced to the public first, in order to make subsidies more transparent. The scope of LED lighting product subsidies should include LED downlights, spotlights, and straight tube lamps, etc. The brightness of the entire lamp should be above 80 lumens, which is more conducive to ensuring the overall quality of the product.