Beginning this year, 100-watt incandescent bulbs have been banned, and the rush to buy compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) has begun. Well maybe not really a rush, but a slow resigned walk . . . . . toward the Elliott’s Hardware or local Home Depot in Dallas.
Phase One of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 has gone into effect, and with it begins the end of our reliance on incandescent lighting.
Out with the old; in with the new.
Starting now, any bulb that uses 100 watts to create light may use only 72 watts to produce the same amount of light.
The lighting restrictions that begin with 100-watt bulbs this year will expand to 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and extend further to 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs in 2014.
Just because this move to energy efficient lighting moves us all out of our comfort zone doesn’t mean the end of life as we know it. After all, EISA 2007 was enacted to help foster American energy independence – a good thing.
Manufacturers have introduced advanced technology to meet the new standards and provide us with energy efficient lighting options that we will learn to love just as much as we did our tried and true incandescent bulbs.
For most lamps, CFL’s will be the best option and are available in a variety of color options to warm our homes. Other choices include halogen lighting and LEDs (light emitting diode).
Yes, we can still use our candelabra-based bulbs and three-way incandescents, two categories of lighting not included in the bulb ban.
Below is a chart to help make sense of the new lighting standards. Also listed are the compact fluorescent bulbs which produce the same amount of light.
Embrace the ban and repeat three times, “Change is good.”
Current New Max. Allowable Effective CFL
100 Watt 72 Watt Max 2012 26-29 Watt
75 Watt 53 Watt Max. 2013 20 Watt
60 Watt 43 Watt Max. 2014 13-15 Watt
40 Watt 29 Watt Max. 2014 10 Watt
Source: GElighting.com
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