PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT: D. Laninga, Communications Manager

dlaninga@energyefficiencyalliance.org

215.910.4785

On Wednesday, September 4th, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) took two major actions jeopardizing the savings achieved through energy-efficient lighting. The actions together represent a major step backward in lighting energy efficiency standards and could cost US consumers up to $14 billion annually.

“Energy efficiency is a win-win-win. We’re creating jobs, saving homes and businesses money on energy bills, and cutting pollution,” said Energy Efficiency Alliance Policy Director Julian Boggs. “Why on earth would you want to make lighting less efficient?”

The first action is a final rule rolling back a 2017 lightbulb definition, which extended efficiency standards to a greater variety of bulb shapes and track lighting. This rule impacts roughly half the lightbulbs on the US market, which would no longer be required to meet LED levels of energy efficiency. 

In tandem with this rule, DOE also released a proposed determination eliminating 2020 standards for the pear-shaped bulbs known as “A-lamps,” which account for the other half of lightbulbs on the market. If finalized, this would block the automatic implementation of standards enacted by Congress in 2007.

“DOE’s actions make no sense,” said Boggs “They will likely be thrown out in court, they are creating confusion in the lighting and energy efficiency industries, and in the meantime, these actions will cost customers millions on needless costs for inefficient lighting.”