Article originally appeared on www.washingtonexaminer.com.
The Biden administration’s new lightbulb efficiency rule takes effect on Tuesday, effectively prohibiting the sale of all new incandescent bulbs in favor of more energy-friendly alternatives.
The new lightbulb efficiency regulations were announced last April by the Department of Energy and require all bulbs sold by retailers to produce a minimum of 45 lumens, the measure of light and brightness, per watt. There are exceptions for certain appliances that use incandescent bulbs, however, such as microwaves.
In turn, consumers will be limited to purchasing more efficient sources of lighting, such as LED bulbs, which have a higher upfront cost but last roughly 15 to 20 times as long as incandescent bulbs.
DOE estimates that over the next 30 years, the lightbulb efficiency standard will slash carbon emissions by 222 metric tons, the equivalent of emissions generated by 28 million homes in a year.
Consumers are also expected to save nearly $3 billion per year on their utility bills, officials said.
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