Energy-Efficient Lighting Becomes Law

Energy-efficient lightbulbs have been the poster-product of climate-change awareness for years, but under the energy bill signed into law on Wednesday by President Bush, they now have a federal mandate. 

The energy bill received more attention for addressing tailpipe emissions, but a key feature of the bill is a phased-in requirement for lighting to use 30% less energy than incandescent bulbs, which have been the standard since the invention of electric light.

Incandescents are tremendously inefficient, as 90% of the energy used is wasted heat, while only 10% is transformed into light. 

The new law will go into effect for 100-watt bulbs beginning in 2012, followed by 75-watt bulbs in 2013 and 40- and 60-watt bulbs in 2014. 

Once these bulbs are fully replaced, it is estimated U.S. consumers will collectively save more than $18 billion a year in electricity bills. The efficient bulbs will save electricity each year equivalent to amount used to power every home in Texas, preventing roughly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, according to the Alliance to Save Energy. 

Currently, efficient lighting products consist of fluorescent and halogen bulbs, though researchers are making strides in developing ultra-efficient light emitting diodes (LED) for commercial and residential uses. 

At about $8 for a pack of 6, energy-efficient bulbs are significantly more expensive than incandescent bulbs, however, they last up to 10 times as long, and as production increases, it is expected that the cost will continue to drop. 

One environmental concern, yet to be overcome, is that compact fluorescent bulbs contain small amounts of mercury–an extremely dangerous element when released into the air or groundwater. Researchers are working to replace mercury with a more stable substance in these bulbs. 

"We’re committed to money-saving, energy-saving products (that) help save the planet," bulb maker Sylvania said in a statement.