In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a final rule regarding energy conservation standards for general service lamps (GSLs) commonly found in homes and certain businesses, effective 75 days after notice was published in the Federal Register. Compliance with the new energy standards is required for all affected products manufactured in or imported into the United States starting July 25, 2028.

Noncompliant lamps will be removed from the market. Solid-state lighting will cement its market-leading position to very likely become the only game in town, with compliant GSLs satisfying a demanding level of energy efficiency.

Interest in regulating GSLs began years ago as more energy-­efficient alternatives, notably compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), became readily available. In 2007, the Energy Independence and Security Act created standards for a range of common incandescent lamps. In 2012, the standard required 100W lamps to become 30% more efficient or be prohibited from manufacture and import; in 2013, that was applied to 75W lamps; in 2014, to 40W and 60W lamps.

About 2 billion incandescent lamps were sold yearly during that time. Some expected a transition to compact fluorescent, but the market ended up largely embracing halogen lamps. These complied with regulations while coming closest to legacy lamps in performance and price. Then LED lamps entered the market and quickly became the predominant light source, capturing an estimated 80% of the consumer market by 2022.

Revised, withdrawn, reinstated

In 2017, the DOE revised its lamp definition, eliminating exemptions for rough service, shatter-resistant, three-way incandescent, vibration service, reflector and decorative lamps (T-shape lamps of 40W or less or length of 10 inches or more and B, BA, CA, F, G16-1/2, G25, G30, S and M-14 lamps of 40W or less). The new definition was withdrawn by the Trump administration.

In 2020, the DOE failed to meet a deadline to create a new energy standard. A backstop provision was meant to impose a standard of 45 lumens/W, but the Trump administration interpreted the provision as not applicable.

In April 2022, the Biden administration reinstated the DOE’s 2017 revised lamp definition and codified the backstop provision, spurring the creation of a higher energy standard for GSLs and the removal of noncompliant halogen lamps from the market.

The 2024 rule

This brings us to the new rule. The DOE currently defines a GSL as a lamp that:

• has an ANSI medium, candelabra or intermediate screwbase for connection to power;
• operates at 12/24V, 100V to 130V, 220V to 240V, or 277V if integrated (lamp contains all components needed for stable starting and operation, does not feature replaceable or interchangeable components and connects directly to power) or at any voltage if not integrated;
• produces an initial light output of 310–3,300 lumens (232-3,300 lumens for modified-spectrum incandescent lamps);
• is not a luminaire or LED downlight retrofit kit;
• and is used in general-service applications.

This includes lamps with directional and omnidirectional light output, with and without standby power and that are short and long in length. The definition does not cover specialty lamps such as appliance, black light, bug, colored, marine, infrared and others.

For covered lamps, varying energy standards apply based on lamp type-specific formulas. An efficacy of about 125 lumens/W is imposed for a typical omnidirectional short GSL without standby power. As the values exceed typical compact fluorescent GSL efficacies, products are expected to be removed from the market.

According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), based on member shipments, CFLs captured just 0.7% of the consumer lamp market in the first quarter of 2022, the last date for which NEMA reported data. The DOE’s 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey suggests around 12% of U.S. households used CFLs for most or all indoor lighting that year.

As the DOE ruling only prohibits manufacture and import, consumers may go on using them and distributors and retailers may continue selling them until inventories are exhausted. In eight states, however, even the sale of CFLs is either prohibited or will soon be because they contain mercury.

The DOE ruling is another sign of the times as the solid-state lighting revolution continues its steady displacement of traditional lighting technology. Starting in 2028, all covered GSLs will deliver a high level of energy efficiency as a standard feature, generating significant economic and environmental benefits for the country.

For more information, consult a supplier, manufacturer or the ruling itself.

stock.adobe.com / Andriy