Lighting efficiency standards proposed in the Bush administration’s final days leave huge energy and dollar savings, as well as huge pollution reductions, on the table, according to a coalition of energy efficiency organizations.
The proposed new efficiency standards would cover the ubiquitous fluorescent tube lamps found in nearly every office and the equally common cone-shaped reflector lamps found in homes and businesses. The coalition, comprised of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP), the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), the Alliance to Save Energy, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), urged the incoming Obama administration to take quick action to strengthen the new standards.
The lighting standard is the largest potential energy saver among 25 new appliance efficiency standards that the Obama administration must complete during the next four years under court orders and congressional deadlines. By comparison, the Bush administration finished just four in eight years.
“On day one, President Obama can start to meet his energy-efficiency promises by fixing these standards.” said Andrew deLaski, ASAP Executive Director. “President Bush fumbled the hand off, but President Obama still can score big energy and dollar savings for America with a strong standard.”
In the proposal, posted to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) website
this week, the outgoing administration said “no” to higher standards
for general service fluorescent lamps which, according to the agency’s
own analysis, would save more energy, save more money and avoid more
pollution than the proposed standards. DOE also said “no” to requests
that the agency cover the most common type of reflector lamps.
“Standards spur more investment in energy efficiency and pay for
themselves many times over,” said Lane Burt, energy policy analyst with
Natural Resources Defense Council. “It makes no sense to turn away from
guaranteed returns in lighting efficiency during an economic crisis.
The Bush Administration is leaving as much as $26 billion on the table
that could go into the pockets of business owners and consumers.”
The efficiency coalition did find some good news in the Bush proposal with respect to the efficiency level proposed for reflector lamps.
“DOE is on the right track with the efficiency levels for reflector lamps,” said Nadel, “though they may be able to go a little higher than the level proposed.” He emphasized that the big issue for reflectors is making sure the standards cover the most common variety, the BR lamps.
This standard is the last proposed in a series of disappointments from the Bush administration. Furnace standards issued in 2007 are so weak that 99% of products already comply–even though the Bush standards are not effective until 2015. Utility transformer standards, also issued in 2007, are weaker than levels supported by the utility industry itself, and by one of the biggest transformer manufacturers. States and advocacy organizations have sued DOE to force reconsideration of those two standards.
In 2007 DOE also rejected home heating boilers standards which had been jointly recommended by the boiler makers and environmental and efficiency organizations. Congress later overturned DOE’s rejection by enacting those consensus standards.
The DOE proposal is posted at the link below.
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