Biden Admin Moving Ahead With Ban on Incandescent Lightbulbs

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to phase out incandescent lightbulbs in favor of compact fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs as part of their revised efficiency standards for lamps.

The department has announced that conventional incandescent lightbulbs will no longer be available through retailers starting this summer, and civil penalties will be gradually introduced against manufacturers and private labelers knowingly distributing these bulbs.

The Biden administration and the DOE claim that the ban on incandescent bulbs would boost energy efficiency and savings for U.S. consumers. Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said that “by raising energy efficiency standards for lightbulbs, we’re putting $3 billion back in the pockets of American consumers every year and substantially reducing domestic carbon emissions.”

The White House said that the phase-out of incandescent lightbulbs and new energy efficiency standards for lighting would reduce carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons over 30 years or “the equivalent of what 28 million homes emit in a year.”

Biden Administration Reverses Trump’s Decision

The regulations on lightbulbs were proposed by the Obama administration in January 2017 to comply with Congress legislation, including the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). However, the Trump administration under the DOE reversed those regulations in a December 2019 decision, arguing that “the benefits of more stringent standards do not outweigh the cost to the American people.”

As a result, the Biden administration reversed the Trump-era decision to ban incandescent bulbs.

Costs and Benefits of New Rules

The new regulations may increase energy efficiency; however, consumers could see an immediate difference in prices when purchasing LED lightbulbs, which on average cost around $5, while traditional incandescent bulbs cost only a fraction of that price.