This archive report was first published on 4 September 2019.
Trump Administration Rolls Back Energy-Efficient Light Bulb Standards ¶
On September 4, 2019, the Trump administration announced a new rule to roll back requirements for energy-saving light bulbs, a move that could contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change.
The Energy Department's filing in the Federal Register will prevent new efficiency standards from going into effect on January 1, 2020, under a law passed in 2007. The changes are likely to be challenged in court.
Noah Horowitz, director of the Center for Energy Efficiency Standards at the Natural Resources Defense Council, stated, “We will explore all options, including litigation, to stop this completely misguided and unlawful action.”
Despite the progress made in reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, the shift toward more efficient light bulbs has been met with resistance from some manufacturers. Lucas Davis, a professor in the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, noted, “U.S. household energy consumption is down 6 percent since 2010, and this is due in part to the increase in the use of energy-efficient lighting.”
However, some conservative lawmakers have pushed against the regulatory shift, arguing that it would disrupt the market. Clark Silcox, a lawyer with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, stated, “Forcing the market through regulation would disrupt retail terribly.”
Mr. Horowitz countered, “Energy-wasting incandescents and halogens still make up more than a third of new bulb sales. We need standards to ensure every new bulb sold is an efficient one.” His group estimates that putting efficient bulbs in all six billion light sockets in the United States could mean $14 billion in savings in 2025.
