UPDATE:
The REES Scheme ended on December 31st 2020. FREE LED globes, showerheads and Standby Power Controllers are only available to Priority Group households.
Non-Priority Group households can receive the service by paying the $33 REPS Surcharge.
Downlight upgrades through the REPS program are no longer provided by YESS.
The Retailer Energy Efficiency Scheme (REES) can mean FREE LED globes for your home. YESS offer the FREE replacement of inefficient light globes for eligible SA homes. But not all light globes are created equal, and not all are covered by REES. This post will list the type of light globes that YESS can replace under REES. It will also detail some of the different ways you can compare light bulbs, and why LED lights are used for REES approved activities.
You may already know that LED lights use less energy than older technologies. But not only has LED technology come a long way over the last 10 years but so have it’s cost and market availability. Energy efficiency however is not the only way to compare light globes. Lifespan, toxicity, and of course brightness (or lumens) are all ways in which light globes differ. You can use the FREE LED service offered by YESS to replace your old incandescent or halogen globes.
Want to know more about REES? Read our comprehensive post on how this SA Government initiative can help you save on energy costs.
Incandescent
LED’s are sophisticated pieces of technology that contain a microchip. There is therefore a larger scope for craftsmanship and manufacturing quality, making them a long-term purchase. But you can’t say this about incandescent globes. These are the classic bulbs that Thomas Edison invented over a century ago. It consists of a tungsten filament that lights up when enough current is passing through it. If you get close to one, you would no doubt feel the heat it emits. This is the main reason incandescent globes are notoriously inefficient – almost 90% of all energy used is wasted in heat. Coupled with their relatively short lifespan, incandescent globes are the worst option for your home when judged on energy efficiency.
Halogen
Incandescent light globes are the most traditional bulbs and were popular due to their low manufacturing cost. As energy efficiency has become more of a priority since the days of Thomas Edison, a variety of methods have tried to improve on this. The halogen globe is one such example.
A Halogen bulb is essentially a type of incandescent bulb with a small amount of halogen gas. Most importantly, halogen light bulbs are about 30% more energy-efficient than incandescent ones. But not as efficient as LEDs.
FREE LED globes for eligible SA households
Only LED lights are approved for REES activities. YESS use high-quality Emerald Planet LED globes. When replacing your old incandescent or halogen globes, LEDs can reduce your lighting bill by up to 60%. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, an LED upgrade can also lower maintenance costs. LEDs also have better on/off durability. This means that, unlike incandescent and halogen bulbs, frequently turning LEDs on and off will not impact its lifespan in the same way.
Recessed lights (Downlights)
Summary
Lighting technology has come a long way since the invention of the first incandescent bulb. The criteria on which we can judge light bulbs include energy efficiency (amount of electricity used to power the bulb), lifespan and durability, brightness (or lumens) as well as toxicity. LEDs fare better than older technologies on all of these criteria. Additionally, the incandescent globe fares worst when judged on energy efficiency, followed by the halogen, followed by halogen. It is, therefore, no surprise that LEDs are the choice for REES approved activities. You are welcome to Contact Us to find out more about YESS’ FREE LED globes.
Updated on 28 January 2020
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Hi David! A member of our team will reach out to you shortly. Alternatively, feel free to call 1300 894 745.
Hi,
can you please let me know if I am eligible for free led downlight upgrade. I live in Melrose Park and have 9 halogen downlights in my kitchen that I would like replaced.. I am on a aged pension.
Kind regards
Freda Garas
Hi Freda! Downlights are unfortunately not covered under the REPS scheme. Feel free to contact us via this page or by calling 1300 894 745 if you have any further queries.
I am interested in your available options for aged pensioners. My sister received a free eco showerhead and had all her old light bulbs replaced free. I am an aged pensioner also. What can be done to improve our energy efficiency please?
Thankyou
Hi Julie,
I have sent you an email with more information. Call us on 1300 894 745 to book in or reply to the email we sent.
Thanks
I am also a pensioner and have a number of halogen recessed downlights in our house, the cost of which has been drawn to my attention. Are we able to have these replaced at an acceptable cost within your organization?
Thank you
Gerry
Downlights are included as part of the REPS scheme, however the subsidy set for the activity is too low to provide any benefit to the customer, as DEM and ESCOSA deemed the energy savings of this activity to be minimal.
Previously we have provided the service when the energy savings/subsidy was higher under the REES scheme, however in 2021 the scheme changed to REPS and the value for the activity dropped.
Due to this, YESS DO NOT upgrade downlights to LEDs, because for us to do so would be at standard market rates for the customer and as a company we have made the decision to not operate in this field.
Apologies for the disappointing nature of this news.
I think i have missed the boat but worth a try.
I have six Fluro lights in my garage, we are retired and a friend of mine said give it a go.
Thanks Graeme.
Hi Graeme,
Please give us a call to 1300 894 745, fill the form in the website https://yess.net.au/contact/, or send us an email to [email protected], so our team can guide you through this and other benefits you can get from the REPS scheme.