The Biden administration‘s new lightbulb efficiency rule took effect Tuesday, banning the sale of new incandescent bulbs and promoting more energy-friendly alternatives.
Under new energy efficiency rules shoppers in the U.S. will no longer be able to purchase most incandescent bulbs. This marks the demise of a technology patented by Thomas Edison in the late 1800s.
Regulation
The regulations require all bulbs sold to produce a minimum of 45 lumens per watt, except for certain appliances like microwaves. Consumers will be encouraged to buy LED bulbs, which have a higher upfront cost but last much longer than incandescent bulbs.
The new efficiency standard announced by the Biden administration requires light bulbs to meet a minimum standard of producing 45 lumens per watt. (A lumen is a measurement of brightness, and incandescents typically produce far less than that per watt.) An accompanying rule change applies the new standards to a wider universe of light bulbs.
Neither rule is an explicit ban on incandescents. And a few specialized kinds of incandescent bulbs — like those that go inside ovens, and bug lights — are exempt.
Carbon Emissions Reduction
The Department of Energy estimates that over the next 30 years, this standard will reduce carbon emissions by 222 metric tons, equivalent to emissions from 28 million homes in a year. Consumers are expected to save nearly $3 billion per year on their utility bills.
The announcement of the rule faced criticism from some groups, but regulators argue that the over one-year notice gives retailers and manufacturers time to comply and sell out existing low-watt bulb supplies.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm stated that the new efficiency standards would benefit consumers and help reduce domestic carbon emissions.
“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 after the rule was finalized.
“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.
Read the full story at the The New York Times
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