Incandescent Lightbulb Ban: What you need to know

General Electric light bulbs are displayed in a supermarket April 5, 2021 in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)AP

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Updated federal energy efficiency standards went into effect Tuesday banning the sale of most incandescent bulbs across in the U.S.

The new standards, announced in April 2022, effectively remove incandescent and halogen lightbulbs from the market in favor of fluorescent and LED bulbs, which are more energy-efficient.

The U.S. Department of Energy expects the updated efficiency standards to save consumers nearly $3 billion per year on their utility bills, and cut carbon emissions by 222 million metric tons — an amount equivalent to the emissions generated by 28 million homes in one year.

“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,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said last year. “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.”

Ultimately, fluorescent bulbs will also end their time on the market when more stringent efficiency rules go into effect by the end of 2024.

The transition to more efficient LED bulbs has been underway for the past decade, but hit a roadblock under former President Donald Trump’s administration when it rolled back energy efficient rules, first put in place during former President Barack Obama’s administration, in the name of market choices.

LED bulbs are more expensive, but they are projected to last 25 to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use less electricity.

An average LED lightbulb ranges in cost from $5 to $7, while an incandescent light bulb generally costs about $2.

Retailers won’t be permitted to sell the bulbs, but there are no prohibitions stopping people from using bulbs they currently own.

Incandescent or halogen incandescent bulbs accounted for roughly 30% of lightbulbs sold in the United States in 2020. But they will soon become a thing of the past.

“The cost of LED lightbulbs has decreased dramatically since they entered the market, and prices are expected to come down further as more products become available,” the Department of Energy posted on its website. “While LEDs are more expensive than traditional incandescent bulbs, they still save money, because they last a long time and have very low energy use.”

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