Lightbulbs which stay on in power cut to be trialled in Fife.

energy: New bulbs to be trialled in Fife with vulnerable customers first to try them out

A light bulb moment from a power company means vulnerable people will not be left in the dark.

The new iViTiON bulbs being trialled in Fife will stay on for up to three hours during power cuts.

Elderly campaigners have hailed SP Energy Networks’ ground-breaking product, which runs off a battery if it detects the electricity has failed. The battery charges during normal use.

A spokesman for Age Scotland said: “This will save people scrabbling in the dark for matches and candles and means there will be less chance of a fall.”

Fifers are among the first in the UK to try the bulbs, which are not yet available to buy.

They will initially be distributed to the company’s more vulnerable customers, including the elderly, pregnant women and people with young children.

SP Energy Networks believes the idea will make a huge difference.

“We want the bulbs to introduce a higher level of safety around the home as they mean that in the case of a power cut our customers are not left scrambling around in the dark and are able to still do everything they need to do safely and aren’t left in complete darkness,” said a spokesman.

The company says the iViTiON bulb has the brightness of a 60-watt bulb but only uses eight watts of power.

If the iViTiON trial is successful, the bulbs will become available to buy.

Bright sparks have invented a bulb which remains aglow even when there is a power cut. The lightbulb moment will be a ray of sunshine for those, especially the elderly, vulnerable or in rural areas, fed up of scrabbling for torches, matches and candles when there is a powercut. It will also improve safety with fewer falls and fires. It is not on the market yet but trials being held in Fife into its effectiveness should prove illuminating.

The iViTiON light bulb can detect when the power has been cut.