The U.S. Department of Energy has laid down new rules for light bulbs. The goal is clear: to save energy and thus reduce consumers’ energy bills and reduce carbon emissions. According to the new standards, light bulbs must produce a minimum of lumens per watt. So which types will stop selling?
The New Rules Reduce Inefficient Light Bulbs
The Biden administration promised to take 100 energy efficiency measures in 2022. The new rules on light bulbs are among these measures. According to the Green Matters, the George W. Bush administration first proposed the energy efficiency standards, and later the Obama administration enacted the rules. So Biden’s Department of Energy practically pushes the measures to the goal.
There are actually two rules: one requires the bulb to produce at least 45 lumens per watt. The second introduces a revised definition for general service lamps:
“General Service Lamps (GSLs) include general service incandescent lamps (GSILs), general service light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lamps, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), and any other lamps that are used to satisfy lighting applications traditionally served by GSILs, “ states U.S. Pat. Department of Energy
Which Bulbs Will Remain on the U.S. Market?
Bulbs that meet the revised definition and produce a minimum of 45 lumens per watt will remain on the market. Traditional light bulbs produce only 15 lumens per watt, while halogen bulbs produce 25 lumens per watt. This fact clearly indicates the end of conventional and halogen bulbs.
In comparison, for example, LED bulbs produce about 72 lumens per watt and last 25 to 50 times longer than conventional light bulbs. Following the introduction of the rules, the American family will save an average of $ 100 a year. In total, consumers save nearly $ 3 billion a year in energy bills.
What’s more, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, Jennifer M. Granholm, estimates that the new rules will reduce carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over the next 30 years.
Source and credit: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/standards.aspx?productid=4, https://www.greenmatters.com/p/ban-on-incandescent-light-bulbs
Featured photo source: pixabay.com
