Say Goodbye to Incandescent Light Bulbs

The US Department of Energy announced today that the light bulb is dead and must be phased out by July of 2023.

The minimum energy efficiency of a lightbulb is 45. An average bulb has an efficiency of 15 lumens per watt while a halogen bulb has an efficiency of 25. Light bulbs that do not meet this standard have 75 days to be phased out of production, as described in the Department of Energy's Enforcement Policy Statement. The policy was released today.

DOE intends to pursue violations by distributors and retailers using the same enforcement transition stages along with its discretion. However, the timeline for these entities is more gradual to allow first for the transition of existing inventory, while manufacturers, including importers, transition their production and shipments in 2022

President Biden is trying to curb the climate crisis by banning the use of incandescent bulbs. The rules aim to cut carbon emissions by more than 200 million electric tons. The average family will save $100 per year, for a total of $3 billion, according to the Department of Energy.

By raising energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, we are putting $3 billion back in the pockets of American consumers every year and substantially reducing domestic carbon emissions, according to the U.S. Secretary of Energy.