A picture of an incandescent light bulb is often used to illustrate someone having a bright idea, a eureka moment, or even as a graphic synonym for innovation. Now small UK companies are being challenged to have a good, innovative idea whilst ensuring there is not a single incandescent bulb in sight.

That’s because the task is to develop more energy efficient lighting for homes in a GBP 1.2 million project run by the Technology Strategy Board, the government body charged with commercialising high tech research.

This will pay for a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition, to will be run in two phases. In the first phase, companies will be awarded up to GBP 40,000 to carry out technical feasibility studies lasting up to 3 months. In the second phase, proposals with the most promising technologies will receive up to GBP 450,000 to develop and evaluate prototypes or demonstration units, which will then be subjected to a six-month field trial.

In common with the rest of the European Union, the UK has put in place measures to remove the least-efficient lighting products based on 19th century incandescent technology, in favour of energy-efficient light bulbs. But there is undoubtedly potential to move further. There can be few people who would not like to see more of a marriage between low-energy and light quality. The slow-illuminating yellowish tinge that some low-energy lights cast flatters few, and is not bright enough for many.

Then of course, there is the question of the look of these bulbs, with their bulky bases and unattractive spirals and loops – and the mismatch that arises from the fact most light fittings were not designed with these bulbs in mind.

Whilst I’m all for energy-saving, I’m in favour of aesthetics too, and current low-energy lights do not provide enough of either.

So let’s hope this competition can deliver on the aim, as stated by Mark Glover of the TSB who said the end result should be domestic lighting of high quality with exceptional efficiency and long lifetimes. “We want to see high-quality, compact ultra efficient lamps that everyone would be happy to use at home,” he said.