Chavistas go fluorescent

Taking Cuba’s lead, Venezuela has distributed millions of fluorescent bulbs in recent months, giving a blue-gray glow at nighttime to slums that used to be swathed in common yellow incandescent light.

“We see the savings,” said Francis Izquierdo, a single mother in Caracas who said her power bill is about half what it was before the bulbs were replaced in her barrio.

Chavez also said recently that he will raise gasoline prices to encourage Venezuelans to drive less, although he hasn’t said by how much….

…Chavez said he also plans to open a solar energy research center to eventually produce solar panels “in massive quantities” to supplement hydroelectric dams and reduce the need for oil-fired power plants. It remains unclear when that project may begin.