Lighting Efficiency Standards in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: Are Incandescent Light Bulbs "Banned"?

Lighting Efficiency Standards in the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007:
Are Incandescent Light Bulbs “Banned”?
Jeffrey Logan
Specialist in Energy Policy
Resources, Science, and Industry Division
Summary
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140) sets new
performance standards for many common light bulbs. Tier I standards require a 25%-
30% increase in the energy efficiency of typical light bulbs beginning in 2012, and still
greater improvements through Tier II standards starting in 2020. Supporters expect
these new measures to save consumers billions of dollars in electricity costs, offset the
need to build dozens of new power plants, and cut millions of tons of greenhouse gas
emissions in the United States.
Efficient lighting products such as compact fluorescent lights and light emitting
diodes have advanced rapidly in recent years. Light quality has improved, costs have
declined, and consumer choice has expanded. Still, many consumers prefer traditional
incandescent lighting products. Incandescent bulbs are not banned or outlawed by the
new law, but they will need to meet the new efficiency standards to remain on the
market. Some new incandescent products already available can meet Tier I
requirements, and at least one manufacturer claims that it will have advanced
incandescent products available in time to meet the Tier II requirements.
The Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act (H.R. 5616) was introduced on March 13,

2008, to repeal the new standards unless special provisions are met.

Introduction
There are an estimated 4 billion incandescent light bulbs (sometimes referred to as¹
“lamps”) in use in the United States. The basic technology in these bulbs has not
changed substantially since they were first introduced over 125 years ago. They convert

¹ U.S. Lighting Market Characterization, Volume 1: National Lighting Inventory and Energy
Consumption Estimate, Navigant Consulting, 2002.

less than 10% of the energy they use into light and over 90% into heat. Some critics refer
to traditional incandescent bulbs as “resistance heaters that also give off light.”
DOE estimates that about 10% of the average U.S. residential electricity bill is spent
on lighting. Illuminating U.S. homes and businesses consumes nearly 300 billion
kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, equivalent to the output from about 100 large
power plants.² The environmental impacts of the electricity production used to power that
lighting — including greenhouse gas emissions — are well documented.³
Given rising attention to energy prices, energy insecurity, and climate change,
Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (hereafter referred
to as the “Energy Independence Act”) to address, among other things, the efficiency of
current incandescent light bulbs. By one projection, the new standards will cumulatively
save more than $40 billion on electricity costs and offset about 750 million metric tons
of carbon emissions by the year 2030.⁴
New Energy Efficiency Requirements for Light Bulbs
The Energy Independence Act sets new performance requirements for certain
common light bulbs. The Tier I requirements, set to take effect in 2012-2014, require
these bulbs to be 25% to 30% more efficient than today’s products (see Table 1). Stricter
Tier II standards will be defined in an upcoming DOE rulemaking that may require that
lamps produced in 2020 use at least 60% less energy than today’s bulbs.
Table 1. Summary of Performance Standards for Certain Light
Bulbs in The New Energy Independence Act
Future
Electricity Use inLight OutputRangePerformanceEffective Date
Today’s Bulbs (Watts)(Lumens^a)Standard
(Watts)
1001,490-2,60072January 1, 2012
751,050-1,48953January 1, 2013
60750-1,04943January 1, 2014
40310-74929January 1, 2014
^{a. A}^lu^m^eⁿ^is^{a m}^eas^u^r^{e of}^th^{e am}^ouⁿ^t^of^lig^h^t^th^{at reach}^es^an^{area of}ⁱⁿ^teres^t^.

² A large power plant is defined here as 500 megawatts of capacity. For a review of electricity
units and definitions, see Electricity Basics 101, U.S. Energy Information Administration
[ h t t p : / / www.ei a.doe.gov/ b asi cs/ el ect r i ci t y_basi cs.ht ml ] .
³ See, for example, CRS Report RL34018, Air Quality: Multi-Pollutant Legislation in the 110^th
Congress or Power Scorecard at [http://www.powerscorecard.org/].
⁴ “Energy Bill Savings Estimates as Passed by the Senate,” American Council for an Energy
Efficient Economy, December 14, 2007.

Some bulbs are not covered by the requirements. There are 22 categories of special-
use incandescent bulbs that are exempted from the standards, including appliance bulbs,
plant lights, infrared bulbs, bug lights, rough-service lamps, and reflector (i.e, recessed
or flood) bulbs. The DOE is required to undertake an additional rulemaking no later than
June 2009 to set new standards for reflector lights. DOE is also directed to monitor sales
of key categories of excluded bulbs to ensure that the exemptions are not exploited.
Are Incandescent Bulbs Banned?
Incandescent bulbs are not banned or prohibited by the new law. Instead, a
performance standard is set for non-excluded categories of bulbs, requiring them to meet
minimum energy efficiency requirements. If bulbs cannot meet the standards as defined
above, suppliers are not allowed to continue selling them. The law does not specify
technology winners and losers. Rather, the intent of the standard is to draw more efficient
light bulbs into the market.
Manufacturers are introducing advanced incandescent bulbs, such as halogen lamps
with special coatings, that meet the standards or are very close to doing so. In October
2007, Philips Lighting Company introduced the Halogená Energy Saver incandescent bulb
series that reportedly meets Tier I standards.⁵ The 70-watt bulb in this product line, for
example, looks similar to “regular” light bulbs and can be used in table lamps, floor
lamps, and ceiling fixtures. It provides high-quality light, equivalent to the output from
many traditional 100-watt bulbs.
Other new incandescent products will likely be introduced by the effective dates of
the law. General Electric (GE), for example, says that it will have an incandescent bulb
that uses half the energy of today’s bulbs by 2010 and only a quarter by 2012.⁶ Non-
incandescent products, including compact fluorescent lamps⁷ (CFLs) and light emitting
diode⁸ (LED) bulbs, can already meet Tier I standards.
Efficient Lighting Can Reduce Energy Costs and Use
Energy efficient light bulbs can save significant quantities of electricity compared
to traditional incandescent bulbs. Table 2 summarizes the characteristics of several types
of bulbs. Although a CFL bulb is more expensive to purchase than a traditional
incandescent bulb, its electricity savings recover the higher purchase price in several
months, depending on use. The LED example in the table is not directly comparable to
the other options because it produces a different type of light than incandescent and
fluorescent bulbs.

⁵ Conversation with Chris Montemurro, Philips Lighting Company, February 18, 2008.
⁶ “GE Announces Advancement in Incandescent Technology; New High-Efficiency Lamps
Targeted for Market by 2010,” GE Press Release, February 23, 2007.
⁷ A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) is the generic name for a family of light bulbs with folded
or spiral glass tubes that use less electricity than standard incandescent lights.
⁸ A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor material that emits light when stimulated by
electrical current. Different colors of light can be produced by altering the chemical properties
of the semiconductor.

Table 2. Characteristics of Selected Lighting Options
70-watt27-watt10-watt Light
100-w att Halogen Compact Emitting
Incandescent Ene r gy F l uorescent Diode^c
Saver
Brightness1,7001,6001,750850 x 2
(Lumens)
Life (Hours)1,0003,00010,00050,000
Color Rendering^a85-10095-10082-8585
Index
Typical Purchase0.502-32-840-60 x 2
Cost ($)
Energy Saving — 307380
Relative to
Incandescent (%)
Annual Electricity^b18.312.84.93.7
Cost ($)
Time Required to — 4-72-766-99
Recover Purchase
Cost (Months)
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Evaluation of Lighting Options
Consumers today have a wide range of product options to meet their lighting needs.
Both traditional and efficient lighting products are now available at large retail stores and
on the internet, as well as at some local supermarkets. These options often require
consumers to decide what types of lighting best suits their needs.
Incandescent Bulbs. Traditional incandescent bulbs are preferred by some
consumers because of their familiarity, low purchase price, and relatively high quality
light. These bulbs are quiet, dimmable, and turn on instantly. Despite their high energy
use and relatively short lifetimes, there is a reason this technology has survived for over

125 years. Advanced incandescent technology is now entering the market and could
address the shortcomings of incandescent bulbs.
Fluorescent Lamps. Fluorescent lights have been used in commercial and
industrial settings since the 1930s due to their lower operating costs. They were slower
to enter residential markets until compact versions became available in the 1980s and⁹
1990s. Early brands had poor light quality and higher purchase costs, which gave many
consumers a negative first impression of CFLs. Two decades of market pull and¹⁰
technology push strategies has led to improved quality and cheaper CFLs today. There
are now many varieties of CFLs that meet “Energy Star” certification requirements¹¹
defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the DOE. In 2007, nearly

300 million Energy Star certified CFLs were sold in the United States, doubling previous¹²

year sales, and accounting for 20% of the light bulb market. There are inexpensive,
high-quality CFLs available in retail stores and through the internet, but brands can vary
significantly in quality. As described more fully below, CFLs have tradeoffs, including
the fact that they contain small quantities of mercury.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). LEDs are ubiquitous. They are found in
computers, radios, televisions, traffic lights, exit signs and holiday lights. However, they
have only recently become available for general illumination. Manufacturers are
developing new types of LED bulbs for general lighting and expect rapid cost reductions.
Although LED bulbs are beginning to match CFL and incandescent alternatives in light
quality, purchase costs are still an order of magnitude higher.
LEDs produce light in a way that is fundamentally different from incandescent or
fluorescent bulbs.¹³ LEDs used for general illumination are expected to be more efficient
than CFLs in the near future, but remain slightly less so today. LEDs can produce almost
any color light and last about five times longer than CFLs. They turn on instantly, contain
no mercury, and — because they have no filament or fragile bulb — are not easily
damaged by vibration or external shock.
But LEDs are not widely available in general illumination markets.¹⁴ Besides high
cost, LEDs can experience problems in cold (below 15EF) or hot (above 120EF)
environments. With light that is highly directional or focused, LEDs currently seem better
for task lighting than for general illumination. Some consumers complain that LED light
is too cold or blue. These issues may be addressed as the technology matures.

⁹ Two technological advances popularized CFLs: the ability to cost-efficiently manufacture the
intricately bent, gas-filled fluorescent tubes, and the introduction of small electronic ballasts.
¹⁰ See Compact Fluorescent Lighting in America: Lessons Learned on the Way to Market, Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, June 2006.
¹¹ Energy Star is a labeling program for efficient equipment, buildings and lights administered
by U.S. DOE and U.S. EPA. A list of Energy Star certified CFL products is available at
[ h t t p : / / www.e n e r gys t a r . go v/ ] .
¹² “Sales of Compact Fluorescent Lights Jump to 20% of Market,” U.S. DOE, January 15, 2008.
¹³ The light is produced by passing a current through a semiconductor material.
¹⁴ “Bright Lights, Big Legacy?,” Forbes, July 23, 2007.

Consumer Criticism of CFLs. Some consumers complain about the quality of
CFL products. They report that CFLs generate harsh, unflattering light or that they don’t¹⁵
last as long as advertised. Some of these objections may be due to experience with
earlier bulbs that had poor color temperature rendition or that were used incorrectly.¹⁶
Some objections involve personal preference; CFLs may not be appropriate for every
lighting application. CFLs are now available with a broad range of size, shape,
brightness, and color temperature characteristics.
Consumers have also reported objections to noise and flicker in CFL bulbs. Most
of these problems have been solved with the introduction of improved electronic¹⁷
ballasts, although some low quality brands may still exhibit these problems.
There is concern about mercury in CFL bulbs. Used and disposed of properly, CFLs
can actually reduce mercury in the environment due to the lower demand for coal-fired
electricity — which emits that element to the atmosphere. Still, the EPA recommends
special precautions in using and disposing of CFL bulbs.¹⁸ For a more complete
discussion of CFLs and mercury, see CRS Report RS22807, Compact Fluorescent Light
Bulbs (CFLs): Issues with Use and Disposal, by Linda Luther.
Another concern involves difficulty dimming CFL bulbs. There are new varieties
of CFLs designed to be used with dimming switches. These versions cost more than
standard CFLs and usually have only three settings (off, low, and high) compared to a full
range of light output in incandescent bulbs. Some consumers also complain about the
time lag¹⁹ between when the light is turned on and when the bulb illuminates. Again,
modern electronic ballasts have at least partially addressed this issue, but most CFLs still
need to warm up before reaching full illumination. Advanced CFL products may²⁰
overcome this consumer concern.
Legislation. On March 13, 2008, the Light Bulb Freedom of Choice Act (H.R.
5616) was introduced to repeal the new lighting performance standards unless the
Government Accountability Office finds that (1) consumers would obtain a net financial
savings by switching to the more efficient bulbs, (2) no health risks would be introduced
by the switch, and (3) total U.S. CO² emissions would decline by 20% by 2025 as a result
of the switch.

¹⁵ “Any Other Bright Ideas,” New York Times, January 10, 2008.
¹⁶ It is important to use CFLs according to their intended design. Installing certain types of CFLs
upside down in recessed fixtures, turning them on and off frequently, or using them with dimmer
switches when they are not labeled to be used that way can significantly shorten bulb lifetime.
¹⁷ Ballasts control the current and voltage to the bulb.
¹⁸ See “Information on Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs and Mercury,” U.S. EPA, May 2007.
¹⁹ CFLs typically take from 30 seconds to 3 minutes to warm up and reach full brightness
depending on the type of ballast.
²⁰ New “cold cathode fluorescent lights” use electrodes without a filament and are reported to
have full instant-on operation like incandescent bulbs and lifetimes of 50,000 hours.