The Biden administration announced that it is phasing out the use of incandescent lightbulbs, reversing a Trump-era policy as it seeks to curb annual carbon emissions and shift the United States toward more efficient sources of lighting.
The Department of Energy finalized two new rules Monday that require manufacturers to phase out any lightbulbs that produce less than 45 lumens per watt. [bold, links added]
When combined, the department said, the measures will save consumers an estimated $3 billion annually — though the decision is likely to irk fans of the old-fashioned bulbs, which still make up roughly 30% of the market but eventually will be prohibited under the standard.
“By raising energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, we’re putting $3 billion back in the pockets of American consumers and substantially reducing domestic carbon emissions,” Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a statement to the Washington Post Monday.
Granholm added that the changes will cut carbon emissions by more than 220 million metric tons over the next 30 years. [Granholm provided no evidence or data to back this up. –CCD Ed.]
“The lighting industry is already embracing more energy-efficient products, and this measure will accelerate progress to deliver the best products to American consumers and build a better and brighter future,” Granholm added.
In implementing the ban, the Biden administration seeks to prioritize the use of energy-efficient bulbs, such as LED or fluorescent lights.
But the rules also deliver a blow to the American Lighting Association, which had asked the Biden administration to postpone the full implementation of the lightbulb efficiency standards.
It argued that doing so too quickly could result in “major financial losses” for lighting manufacturers and retailers, the Washington Post reported.
In its announcement, the department said its efficiency standards are slated to take effect 75 days after they are printed in the Federal Register.
But full enforcement of the rule for manufacturers, retailers, or distributors will not begin until at least June of next year — giving them a significant runway to comply and sell out their existing supply of [incandescent] bulbs.
Read more at Examiner
Tallow Candles and Whale Oil Lamps Biden the Stupid takes us back into the Dark Ages and i do mean Dark Ages.His them song should be IRRESPONSIBLE
Won’t matter…a few years from there will be no working power grid.
Almost ten years now that LED bulbs only allowed in Europe. Incandescent and Fluorescent are both prehistoric: soon fade or burn out, and a disaster to get rid of. Leds are 10 times more efficient than incandescent, cheap, last up to 50k hours, so fit and forget. A whole new industry has appeared for cheap and simple integrated lighing fixtures with no need to replace the bulb. So far less likely to break a leg falling off steps or chairs.
No use at all if you want to heat your home with electricity. All the other junk around the home still burns as much as ever; and one car burns as much as a a thousand 10W lamps, so the power demand won’t get any smaller. The real disaaster is electric cars, no supply system, hopelessly inefficient.
Biden the 10 Watt Light a real Dim-Bulb
Don’t forget to send Biden all your old lightbulbs.