According to the new guidelines that implemented by the Biden administration, "general service lamps" - a.k.a. household light bulbs - must now emit a minimum of 45 lumens per watt. Since incandescent bulbs provide just 15 lumens per watt, they're effectively banned in the US.

When is effective?

Incandescent light bulbs stopped being manufactured and sold in the United States on August 1, 2023.

What is banned?

You're free to use whatever bulbs you can find -- the prohibition is only on the manufacture and sale of bulbs that don't meet the new efficiency standards, not their use.

What are exempt?

The DoE lists several exceptions to the incandescent light bulb ban, here is the list.

Appliance lamps, including fridge and oven lights

Black lights

Bug lamps

Colored lamps

Infrared lamps

Left-handed thread lamps

Plant lights

Flood lights

Reflector lamps

Showcase lamps

Traffic signals

Some other specialty lights, including marine lamps and some odd-sized bulbs

What are the next?

You may wonder about the compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs, are they banned too? Well, their days are numbered too: At the end of 2024, minimum efficiency levels for light bulbs will jump to over 120 lumens per watt. Since CFLs generate just 50 to 70 lumens per watt, they'll be taken off the market.

The LED bulbs

Moving to energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs is imperative, they can be twice as expensive as incandescents but last 25 to 50 times longer. They will save electricity bills and trim carbon emissions. Moreover, with the progress made on the LED technology for the past 10 to 15 years, they're of better quality in terms of brightness, color, and CRI. They're also available in more shapes, including round, square, and linear formats.

Sunwin Lighting is one of the experienced China lamps suppliers that provides lamps and LED lighted mirrors for over 16 years, all our products are UL Listed and compliance with the regulations on the bulbs (although bulbs not included). Send your requirements to our professionals and get a lower rate at sales@sunwinhotellighting.com.